‘Five-figure sum will help access support I need to get over abuse’
FOSTER CHILD HAILS OUT-OF-COURT SETTLEMENT
A LEICESTERSHIRE man says he was left a “quivering wreck” with post-traumatic stress disorder and nightmares after being abused by a foster parent.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was placed into care when he was a young child in the early 1980s and spent time with a number of foster families, including a man who he says abused him regularly over a period of months.
After returning to live with his parents, social services remained involved in his care.
The man says he was physically and emotionally abused by his foster father, as well as suffering sexual abuse at the hands of a family friend, who was later convicted of the offences.
The assaults have had a lasting impact on the man, who is now in his 40s, and he says he still suffers psychologically.
He said: “For many years, I was what I would describe as a quivering wreck. I didn’t want anybody to know about the abuse and I felt extreme shame and embarrassment about what happened to me.
“I have a very vivid memory and I remember being violently sick when I was first abused.
“I continued to have flashbacks and nightmares for a long time, but I tried as much as I could to put these memories to the back of my mind and live my life day to day.
“Around 10 years ago, my mental health deteriorated further and I sought assistance but found that nothing helped me. At this point, I knew I had to do something to try to get justice for what I had been through.
“I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t protected and I would get extremely upset and angry about it.”
He contacted specialist lawyers to investigate what happened to him, which resulted in a five-figure settlement being made by Leicestershire County Council - as they were responsible for his care as a child.
The law firm said the council had made the settlement out of court “without any admission by the council”.
The sum will ensure he can afford the specialist treatment and therapies he says he needs to move forward with his life.
“The abuse had a huge impact on my education as I struggled so much to engage and concentrate at school and I’ve found it incredibly difficult to hold down jobs for prolonged periods,” he said.
“I also find relationships challenging as I struggle to trust people.
“Attempting to cope with the ordeal I have been through has been tough, but I was eventually diagnosed with PTSD which has helped me understand a lot about my symptoms.
“While I can’t turn back the clock and stop everything that happened to me, it is such a relief that I finally have some justice.
“I really feel that this will help me obtain the closure and determination I need to move forward with my life.
“So many people who have been abused feel ashamed, like I did, but I hope that by sharing my experience it will give others the strength and courage to come forward and not suffer in silence.
“In my case, it was definitely worth it.”
Emma Crowther, a specialist lawyer at Irwin Mitchell who represents survivors of abuse, and who represented the Leicestershire victim, said: “Our client has struggled for decades to try and come to terms with what happened to him, and this is yet another example of the lasting impact that abuse can have.
“He has been through a truly shocking ordeal, but our client has bravely decided to share his story in the hope that it will stop others from suffering in silence.
“While there is nothing we can do to change what happened, we are pleased to have been able to help him access the support he requires to try and overcome it as best he can.
“It’s so important that survivors don’t feel alone and like they can’t come forward, regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred.
“They should feel safe in the knowledge that their case will be dealt with professionally and sensitively.”
A spokesperson for Leicestershire County Council said: “We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable children.
“We take matters of historic abuse very seriously and have in place a series of safeguards and procedures to strengthen the protection of children to minimise the chances of this kind of abuse happening again.
“The safety and well-being of children in our care system is of paramount importance.”
The abuse had a huge impact on my education as I struggled so much to engage at school
Victim