Those of us who have lived experience of surviving grooming, CSA and rape as girls, know exactly who is tackling child sexual abuse in these northern towns and who isn't. Not all of us were traumatised to the point that we are rendered incapable. There are a cohort of us who were lucky enough to not be submerged by it. I was very lucky to have the unearned privilege of a decent level of cognition, some economic privilege and being able to access higher education and it taught me about my vulnerabilities and the social determinants of health & wellbeing and how the system creates gaps for exploitation for girls like I used to be.
I healed through my education, alongside support from NAPAC, Rape Crisis, NHS Psychiatrists, ISVA's, IAPT, the police and Victim Support. I have since worked with girls and boys who are survivors of CSA and CSE (in children's social care, research and child and adolescent mental health services). I am about to go into a national team. Elon Musk knows nothing about the worker bees on the frontline, the evidence gathering in research, the policy action, the third sector input, the people wiping the tears and snot and telling survivors it's not their fault, the hand holding to ensure you don't drown, the police intelligence being gathered, the prevention that's happening right now. It's not perfect, it isn't completely resolved but we are a lot further forward than in 1996 when it started happening to me. Elon Musk, Tommy Robinson, Nigel Farage don't advocate for prevention, they look back and their red faced, spittle shouting outrage isn't changing anything - I know who is tackling and preventing CSA today, and tomorrow and next year. They don't need to write it on social media, they are just getting on with doing it.