Dale says ‘I don't understand how the care home let it happen’
All names and identifying details have been changed.
Participants have given us permission to share their experiences.
Dale suffered violent abuse from his mother on a daily basis. A male neighbour took advantage of his vulnerability and sexually abused him. Dale describes how, when he was about 12 years old, his neighbour Don took him ‘under his wing’.
One day, Dale’s mother assaulted him so severely that his skull was fractured. After this, he was taken into care, but this did not protect him from the sexual predator.
When Dale was placed in care, this predator rented a bedsit near the children’s home so he could continue abusing the young boy.
Don arranged for Dale to visit him in his bedsit and stay overnight. This was not queried by care staff.
The sexual abuse escalated, with Don giving Dale drugs and raping him at least once a week.
During his time in care, Dale tried to commit suicide on a couple of occasions. He thinks the social workers put this down to his experience with his mother.
As an adult, Dale was contacted by the police in connection with a wide-ranging inquiry into child sexual abuse in his childhood area.
He gave a statement which he says was very difficult for him – he describes himself as ‘a mess’. He called the Samaritans and later had some counselling.
Dale says the effects of the abuse he suffered in his childhood have ‘prevented me living, for a long time’. He is wary of people, especially men, and has difficulties with trust and relationships. He is very protective of his child.
Dale would like to see longer jail sentences for people convicted of child sexual abuse. He also thinks there should be more research to understand how perpetrators work, and ‘what makes them tick'.
In addition, he wants children's services to be more vigilant and step in quickly if children are being hurt.