Graham said ‘The potential scale of abuse within sporting institutions remains unknown’
All names and identifying details have been changed.
Participants have given us permission to share their experiences.
Graham was a pupil at an independent school that provided high level coaching in a sport from Mr James. Graham describes him as a powerful individual both in the school and nationally in the sport. The school had a good reputation and a history of producing champions in this sport.
Graham demonstrated extensive skills in this sport and was coached by Mr James for several years. From the very beginning and for several years, he was subjected to regular sexual abuse by Mr James, who also organised out-of-school activities for pupils.
The abuse experienced by Graham included inappropriate searching, intimate questions and sexual discussions with Mr James in his car.
The coach would massage Graham’s genital area, and, on one occasion, he masturbated beside Graham while sharing a tent on a school trip.
Graham emphasises that Mr James held an important role in this area of sport and had considerable prestige. He was skilful in engaging with both students and families who were keen for their children to be coached and associated with him.
The coach befriended Graham’s parents and was regularly invited to dinner at Graham’s home. He would also collect Graham from his home and take him to events in his car.
Graham thinks that Mr James isolated his victims and believes that this isolation, coupled with the status he held, enabled him to silence his victims for such a long time.
He has never felt able to tell his parents and is still keen to ensure that his mother never learns what happened to him. She is now elderly, and it is a priority for him to protect her from ever knowing.
He describes Mr James’ actions as ‘unpleasant experiences’. Graham believes he compartmentalised the abuse, enabling him to block it out and focus on the sporting success that could be achieved.
Graham believes that more boys in his school, and other schools and clubs, were sexually abused by Mr James. He describes how when they went on trips, Mr James would give inappropriate ‘sexy’ books to the boys to read and try to get the boys to discuss their content.
He recalls a teacher commenting that he had heard ‘funny things’ about Mr James. Graham thinks some staff at the school knew what was going on and did nothing.
He feels that the school failed to protect him and has not been held to account for this failure.
In the future, Graham would like to see a greater focus on educating children about the various forms that abuse can take. He believes this is very important to help children and young people understand and speak out about what is happening to them.
He also believes that the potential scale of sexual abuse of children within sporting institutions remains unknown and unacknowledged.