Aegeus was sexually abused when he was 12 years old. He believes it was a cause of his offending behaviour
All names and identifying details have been changed.
Participants have given us permission to share their experiences.
He has thought carefully about the effects of child sexual abuse on society and has several suggestions that might help address some of the issues.
Aegeus described being at a school swimming session when he was sexually assaulted in the changing room by a member of the leisure centre staff. The abuser attempted to rape him, but at the time, he didn’t understand what was happening.
The man told Aegeus he would kill him if he told anyone, but Aegeus did tell his family.
His mother reported the abuse to the school, and was advised to go to the police.
Aegeus was taken to the police station and given a physical examination. He made a statement to the police but remembers he did not feel it reflected what he had said. He identified his attacker from CCTV footage.
Aegeus is not sure exactly what the outcome of the case was. There were no witnesses to the assault but he thinks the abuser was given a caution. Aegeus has heard that since this incident, the perpetrator was convicted of further sexual abuse.
He says that his parents were not given any support at the time that he disclosed the abuse. Aegeus also feels that his school did not support him adequately. He says they gave the impression that because the abuse did not happen on school premises ‘It wasn’t their problem’.
Following the abuse, Aegeus was allocated a social worker, who tried to explain to him how the experience could affect his life. The social worker included a warning that Aegeus might himself become a perpetrator of sexual abuse, and told his family to be aware of signs of him showing sexual behaviour.
The abuse and its aftermath had a profound effect on Aegeus. He was referred to a psychiatrist but did not find this very helpful. He now thinks this might be because he was so young at the time.
Aegeus describes how he became afraid to leave the house because of his mistrust of males. As a result, he was away from school for about a year following the abuse. He remembers that he started watching cartoons all the time because this made him feel ‘safe and comfortable’. Looking back, he sees that as well as interrupting his education, this reduced his interaction with other people, and he wonders if it affected the way his mind developed.
Aegeus describes child sexual abuse as causing ‘a ripple effect’, that starts with the victim, extends to their family and friends, and even to wider society, for which ‘taxpayers have to foot the bill’.
He feels that the sexual abuse he experienced led to him commiting criminal offences and serving time in prison, and has destroyed his life.
However, Aegeus emphasises that he has worked the majority of his life and has served in the armed forces, and he has not claimed benefits.
He feels support and coping strategies should be provided to the families of children who have been abused, as well as the children themselves. He understands that for parents to hear their child has been abused, there will be a huge emotional impact, and the family may not know how to handle the information that has been disclosed to them.
He wishes that his parents could have been better supported to help him cope with the aftermath of the abuse.