‘Child abuse is a crime...
FOUR BRAVE WOMEN WHO SUFFERED AT HANDS OF SEX BEASTS SHARE THEIR STORIES IN HOPE OF EMPOWERING OTHER VICTIMS TO COME FORWARD
FOUR brave young women who have survived sexual exploitation are sharing their stories in a bid to empower others to come forward.
Abused from as young as eight-yearsold, the group have formed Reign and their message is being shared on huge billboards around Manchester.
And the message is simple: ‘Child sexual abuse is a crime – but talking about it isn’t.’
Using their experiences, Elicia, Zoe, Aaliyah and Becka hold workshops to guide agencies including the police, social workers and teachers on how to identify the signs of child sexual exploitation.
Because they have experienced abuse, they are able to offer a survivor’s perspective on their welfare.
The women are working with RECLAIM, a Manchester charity which advocates working class young people.
Child sexual exploitation is when perpetrators use the imbalance of power to manipulate, coerce or deceive someone under 18 into sexual activity.
It can appear consensual, but it’s a serious crime with long-lasting consequences. They aim to raise awareness that all children are deserving of protection, whether they be under 12 or under 18.
Zoe, 24, said: “I’m driven by my anger and sense of justice.
“Reign is the first time I’ve felt like someone is believing in us, not babying us and feeling like we’re too damaged to speak to. We want to tell others that you are not alone.”
Aaliyah, 22, who was exploited from age 14, hopes to open her own clothing line as well as continuing her work with Reign.
She said: “I think professionals are using the wrong approach – I’ve been failed by the police after my abuse started when I was 14.
“I want to see more of discussion about this – not many people want to talk about it. They want to keep it behind closed doors like it’s secret.” Becka, 20, who was first abused aged 13, is studying history at university. She feels there is still a culture of victim-blaming, with teenagers blamed for their own behaviour. She added: “It should be ok to talk about sexual abuse. It’s not shameful, it’s not a dirty dark secret. “We aren’t defined by what happened to us and we don’t want it to define the rest of our lives – we have the means to turn it into something positive. After one of our workshops one social worker said she was going to revisit a closed case because of something we’d said. “If we can stop just one person experiencing abuse then that’s great.” Abuse victim Becka