Reported historical sexual abuse case today. Please help me.

[Celticliving]

Today I gave a video statement to the police, reporting one of the people who sexually abused me and my friends 25 odd years ago.

Not only that, I named each and every one of the men (from the same institution) that sexually abused the other girls in my circle.

I was encouraged to name these people but now I'm feeling horribly guilty and uncomfortable that my childhood friends are going to hate me.

Was I unreasonable to finally expose this abuse?

I can barely breathe right now.

You've done the right thing. Sending lots of love and strength to you. X

I am so very lucky. I live in a completely different area now and my friends are so, so supportive.

Well done.

It worries me that 6% of voters say I am being unreasonable. That really worries me 😕

It was another child (aged 7) who assaulted my DC (an isolated incident whilst out playing in summer holidays). Took him eight years to tell us. He felt shame at the time that's why he didn't tell us what happened at the time. Going into his teenage years he made sense of it all. He said he wanted to make a statement to the police, and we supported him. I make sure he knows he did nothing wrong - he was the victim. He receives counselling regularly when he feels he needs it. The perpetrator can't be taken court as he was under the age of criminal responsibility at the time.

Hopefully you have the outcome you deserve after everything you have endured.

They probably clicked the wrong button. Don’t think about the MN voting thing. Just look at the comments from people calling you brave and offering support.

They probably clicked the wrong button. Don’t think about the MN voting thing. Just look at the comments from people calling you brave and offering support.

Well done you, that must have taken a huge amount of bravery. It’s so important to bring these people to justice, no matter how long has past. Stay strong, knowing you’ve done the right thing

Please don't worry about that. Some people just click against the OP just because they're nasty. And others may have meant YABU to feel bad about it without reading your post properly. You've done the right thing

What a brave thing to do. I would never have your courage but I wish I did. Take care of yourself x

Seen a lot of nasty vindictive type of posting going on on MN tonight, OP. Please ignore the people on the polling thing.

Who on earth is voting YABU?!

OP, you did the right thing. I hope justice is done, but if not, I pray these men rot in hell for what they did to you.

Please don’t worry, there are trolls on this site.

But they’re cowards, so they won’t bother you on this thread full of women supporting you.

Don‘t worry about the voting! I had to double and triple check to make sure I was saying you were not unreasonable for reporting, rather than anything else that might have caused you to feel even more anxious.

It’s such a kind and important thing you have done.

Don't worry too much. Sometimes I have clicked on by mistake so that's a possibility and if not then it will be a very low minority.

I was on a jury a few years back that convicted on a historical rape case. Good luck and hope you get the result you are looking for.

Me too. This summer, he was convicted

Well done, you will feel so many emotions but you should feel proud!

I think you have done an incredibly brave thing. I wish I had the courage to report being raped when I was 16. I'm 50 now and sometimes wonder what the police would do if I reported it now. The perpetrator is now married with children....

I genuinely hope you feel relieved and proud for doing this, it must have taken real courage and I wish you all the best x

You're so very brave. 💐

I was abused my entire childhood, as were my siblings.

I wish we were as brave as you have been.

You have done an amazing, brave and good thing. You should feel very proud of yourself.

I imagine the guilt feelings are linked to not being able to tell in the past and feeling shame about what happened which is why perpetrators get away with their awful actions.

I salute you and as a survivor, wish I could have done the same but I was so young I wouldn't be able to identify that person as a grown up.

Well done. I wish more women had your courage. So many scumbags get away with what they did. I have known several women over the years who were raped or abused and none of them ever went to the police. It makes me furious to think of their tormentors enjoying life while the victims are haunted forever. You’ve done this on behalf of every abuse survivor. xx

Even if he got away with it, it would surely mean an investigation, and that would force him to confront what he did. It would also mean some uncomfortable late night conversations with his wife.

A huge well done to you.
My partner was groomed and abused as a child by a stranger on holiday. 25 years later he reported it to the police and had a photo of him, but they've never managed to trace him. I really wish one day that his abuser is caught and brought to justice, or maybe that he died shortly after and never got to harm anyone else. The man totally ruined his life, devastating - which makes it all the more amazing that you are speaking up.

I have been in exactly the same position as you Op and it's so hard. The police asked me for the names of the other girls that were abused, I contacted the ones I could find and asked for their permission before I gave over their information.

We got as far as court and we all gave evidence, unfortunately the judge said that due to the abuse of process (the people that the defendant could have called as witnesses were all dead) the trial wasn't a fair one and so it was dismissed.
I hope you are more successful than we were, it's a long, tough process, good luck xx