Reader tells terrible tragedy and horrific extent of child sexual abuse

The SKWAWKBOX has covered the shocking news that a serving Chief Constable has been accused of – and interviewed under caution about – alleged involvement in the sexual abuse of children (CSA).

The government’s inquiry into such abuse has involved such control of the members of its panel that it has raised serious concerns that it is more aimed at obscuring the truth rather than exposing it. The backlash that has already begun by trolls and stalkers connected to the Establishment have intensified those concerns.

This blog’s reports on those issues have prompted some readers to get in touch with information about their own situations and/or experiences. Some may become the subject of legal action and cannot be shared in any detail.

However, one account sent in is unlikely ever to come before judge and jury – but will give readers a clearer appreciation of both the human cost of CSA – together with the Establishment bullying that attempts to intimidate and discourage victims and their supporters – and the sheer scale of the horror that some parts of that Establishment wish would remain hidden.

This is the story related by a reader. Please be aware as you proceed that it might be triggering for those who have had similar experiences. We will let it speak for itself and the reader draw his or her own conclusions:

A good few years ago, a good friend of ours killed herself . The root cause of her suicide was the systematic and continual sexual abuse she suffered as a child. At 13 years old she ran away to the nearest large town and reported the abuse of not only herself rather, other kids from the village she grew up in. She thought she could trust the police from a large town to take her complaints seriously and that her abusers would be brought to justice.

Sadly, there was no such “happy ending” the sad truth is that, she was returned to her home village and nothing was done at all to investigate her claims. A few days after her tragic death a group of us were chatting about it and there came that awkward moment when someone asked those assembled.

“Was anyone here abused as a child?”

Of the 13 people gathered, 8 raised their hands and said yes.

Think about that, from my generation of 13 random people, eight had suffered sexual abuse as a child. The NSPCC estimates that, from my generation and those older as many as 40% of males and 60% of females suffered some form of sexual abuse.

Now some of that abuse was not what would be legally termed as rape, often it was inappropriate behaviour of varying degrees and duration. However, the sexual abuse of children was not just common it was endemic to society and we still have not grasped that particular nettle and fully dealt with it.

Let me give you an example. One male friend was “gang raped” by fellow schoolmates under the aegis of a senior teacher at the private school he attended whilst on a school trip to the sea side – “to teach him a lesson about his place in the grand scheme of life and for being ‘uppity'”.

Make no mistake, it was so endemic that people from all political parties saw it as “just one of those quirks” and went to great lengths to apologise for those they knew committed such acts on a regular basis. The security services saw it as an opportunity to “own” those abusers as their “assets”. No-one from the establishment was going to rock to boat to hear the pain of just a “few kids”. The truth is, it was far worse than that, certain sections of society thought that, kid’s homes were a “choose all you like buffet”; as these kids were seen as just society’s flotsam and jetsam, who would never amount to anything worthwhile in life anyway.

Ergo, the next time you see some idiot ranting on about “Muslims are child abusers” remind them that…. so are we, not just individually rather, en masse and that many of those who shout loudest about “morals and ethics in society” are often the very worst of offenders.

Finally, as an illustration of how endemic it is and how the police dealt with it here’s an interesting example. My father was a journo and through his contacts he knew every local copper, magistrate etc. When my sister was a certain age he showed her series of photographs and told her “Should any of these men approach you in the street , run away immediately, run home , knock on a door and ask for help, I will deal with it”.

In other words, my father had a list of those known to sexually prey on young girls. Those men did so often in the open initially and to the best of knowledge, not one ever was treated for their condition or went to prison for those activities. In short, the sexual abuse of young girls in particular was viewed as “just one of those things” and almost wholly ignored until the last decade or so.

I write this in the full knowledge that, some reading this will feel the clammy hand of fear grip them inside as they are yet another “victim” and you are a victim you as a child, had no true understanding or grasp of what was happening. The shame was never yours and never will be, the shame belongs to those who exploited and abused you.

By all means should people wish, share this post as people really do need to confront the fact that British society suffered from endemic child abuse. It is not unique to a particular culture. Furthermore, many saw it as a “perk of their position” and we as a society, did little to discourage that sick idea.