Let's break the silence of child sexual abuse
The office was as dull as the weather outside, grey walls, grey desks. My colleagues and I chatted about nothing as we pulled phones, chargers, snacks, out of our bags for the day ahead. Then as I turned on my computer, a wrecking ball of vitriol flew out of the screen, slamming into my chest … Continue reading Why Is It So Hard To Speak Openly About Child Sexual Abuse?
I was six, maybe seven years old. I was in my bedroom with my favourite dolls carefully arranged in the houses I’d made for them out of shoe boxes. Their furniture and belongings were made from cardboard, odd bits and bobs and plenty of imagination. But I wasn’t playing with them. Instead my grandfather was … Continue reading Why I Didn’t Tell
I've written this piece for the 'Survivors Of Abuse' campaign to raise awareness of grooming. I will never know what went on in my grandfather’s mind, but this is my interpretation of his thoughts from things he said and did. I apologise if you find this uncomfortable to read. There’s nothing really wrong with it. … Continue reading How To Normalise The Abnormal
The first things to go were objects that he'd touched. I couldn't hold any of them without washing my hands afterwards in a vain attempt to wash him away, his dirt, his crimes. Photographs followed. But I didn't just cut out his images leaving a hole as a reminder of my abhorrence of him, each … Continue reading Dirty DNA
Swept Under The Carpet 