by survivor Bob Balfour.
For those of you with a fondness for Star Wars, I hope you’ve enjoyed ‘The Force Awakens’ – or are looking forward to enjoying it. For those of you who are not so keen, I hope you’ll bear with me as I use ‘Star Wars’ references to explore some reflections on The Independent Inquiry into Childhood Sexual Abuse (IICSA) as a male, who is also a survivor activist.
If you need to talk to someone about child sexual abuse, call ChildLine (0800 1111) if you are under 18 or NSPCC (0808 800 5000) otherwise. If someone is in immediate danger, call the police on 999.
Children who have been sexually abused may feel many emotions: dissociation, confusion, fear, guilt, and shame. Sexual abusers often shift blame for the abuse to the child, making them believe the abuse was their fault.
If you have or are thinking of running away from home, Missing People has advice to help you try to stay safe: the ‘Staying Safe’ checklist.
If you run away from home, you may be exposed to drugs, alcohol, sexual exploitation, hunger, loneliness, homelessness and serious illness, or doing things you don’t want to do to get by.
After running away from home, research by NSPCC says 1 in 6 young people slept rough, 1 in 8 were physically hurt and 1 in 9 were sexually assaulted.
In the UK, around 140,000 young people go missing each year. There can be problems at home that make people want to leave or things that people are drawn to.
You’re more than any one thing you’ve experienced. You are so much. Be kind to yourself and go after what you want.
“Don’t allow your wounds to turn you into a person you are not.” – Paulo Coelho
“When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That’s the message he is sending.” – Thich Nhat Hanh