What needs to happen here in the UK is this, there are reputed to be 10.4 million survivors of CSA living in the country, we need to get across that being sexually abused is nothing to be ashamed of, we didnt do it we had it done to us.

Now I realise that this is going to take time and a lot of hard work but it can be acheived, the reason it is not like this ta the moment is because it is still a taboo subject, we need to start talking about it to anyone that listens.

I am hoping in time to meet with those that run NAPAC and get their arses into gear with regards getting every survivors organisation in the UK under one umbrella, yes I know politics will come into this (People have different ideas about how this is to be approached) but we have to dispense with the politics and agree on one solid statergy. And every survivor in the country will be entitled to input, individually we cant do much but together we maybe able to move mountains.

Suggestions welcomd.

Kirk
"Lets take this bull by the horns and swing it about a bit" - Kirk

The taboo is the biggest hurdle, being branded by idiots who dont have a clue.

Politically it would be massive, they do not want the public to know of the scale of abuse, because they know we live in silence, so we never really come out and rattle them.

Ask the politicians if they would sanction paid time in employment to visit a T, what a laugh, how do we pay the fees anyhow when working!

If we could find an initiative, say, write once a week to a different MP, in time, they would have to listen because of the paper chase.

The guy who had the slave trade abolished had the right idea, by tireless campaign.
I am getting too tired to even think these days, never mind campaign, but I do my bit when I can,

ste

Kirk,

I think you are absolutely right. The old silly views of CSA still flourish in the UK - as in so many other places. I wonder if it is even more of a problem due to the influence of religious schools (C of E as well as Catholic) and problems of abuse in private residential schools.

Ideas? Your idea of encouraging different organizations to work together is a good one.

Off the top of my head all I can think of in addition is that if prominent personalities who are survivors would speak up, that would raise the profile of the issue a lot.

Larry

Larry

Its at times like this I wish Carlos Santana was British although I would have prefered him not to have been abused, weve got Ozzy Ozbourne but apparently Sharon (his wife) wont let him speak about it again. Roger (007) Moore would be good but a lot of people now dont have a clue who he is, it maybe good for us oldies.

Its a shame that our greatest DJ John Peel died when he did and he definately knew what was going on at BBC radio One as did others.

I am asking my MP when we have this debate to ask this question to members of parliament:

"How many of us in this house were sexually abused in childhood, according to the averages given there should be at least 25"...... "Why have you kept silent, did you recieve any support"?

That should shake a few of them up.

Kirk
"Lets take this bull by the horns and swing it about a bit" - Kirk

Kirk,

Wow! That is a great idea. There MUST be a significant number, and most of them have probably grown up thinking that okay, now they are adults, it was a long time ago: "Get over it".

Larry

Kirk
from the research I've done so far it seems that most attempts at 'uniting' survivors groups and charities have failed. I gather that there's quite a lot of resistance to it as well.

I attended the SCOSAM Conference in Birmingham in 2001 when Mike Lew was the main speaker and all the reputable groups seemed to be in attendance. This was a very big two day affair that promised a great deal, but sadly failed by all accounts. The web site advertising that conference has been their only ( way out of date ) presence since then, and that's gone now.

I "think" SCOSAM was an ofshoot of SCOSAC ( Standing Committee on Sexualy Abused Children ) that publish(ed) the annual 'Survivors Directory' - a listing of groups and charities etc.

They in turn are ( were ) supported by 'Meridian Broadcasting' who made the film 'No Child of Mine' back in 1997 and who pay for the directory to be sent free to the 20,000 organisations and individuals working to support survivors.

I think the main problem of coordinating all these vastly different groups, charities and organisations is that we're all chasing the same money from very similar sources, and there's no way any group will place that funding at risk, by possibly losing it to another group.

The N.S.P.C.C. does a good job though, and because they are less dependant on the same source of funding are the probably the best placed organisation to take on this task.

Dave

SCOSAC was a Gov't committee in 1992 that appeared to investigate the effects and treatment of CSA victims survivors.
But typically I can't find the actual report on the internet although many other papers etc quote it.
What pisses me off is that when I looked down the list of papers and journals on the NSPCC web site library it was listed but not linked, it's there but not for general release ( possibly unless you pay for it ? ) but damn nearly every American, Canadian and European paper is linked for free.

Freedom of information? don't get me started on this !

Yes Dave I agree,however there is a distinct lack of promoting survivors of CSA and the groups that support them, NAPAC are gradually getting their act together but I had not heard of them till last year and as for the Survivors Trust which I have heard are a large campaigning group I only found out about them earlier this year and they have no web presence. What I'm getting at is this. If we survivors dont know that these organizations exist how can we lend our support to them and in that way promiote that presence.

We need something that grips the media and publics interest. I suspect the media will be more open to that but in time the public may just start to get the message.

Remember it took me a long time to find AXIS (Even the Community Mental Health Team didnt know they existed) and that is the problem if we dont know that the resources are there how the hell can we access them.

Kirk
"Lets grab this bull by the horns and swing it about a bit" - Kirk

Dave, Kirk,

What pisses me off most about all this is that when I think of abuse I think of the face of a frightened kid, but it looks to me like these groups are more into the politics than the people.

And Dave, "freedom of information", I know how you feel! I rage at least a few times a week at the way valuable information becomes a commodity available only if one coughs up the payment for it.

Larry