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Original poster

I was sexually abused as a 9 year old child - shall I report this to Police?

18 replies

Googleboxfan · 14/12/2021 19:36

I am now in my mid-forties and was sexually abused by a family friend when I was 9/10 years old. Happened on multiple occasions.

I've always wondered whether I should report this to the police so it does not happen to anyone else.

I don't know the persons surname only remember where they lived. They don't live there now.

Would Police investigate if I reported this?

I have no evidence. Only can report that my parents and brother were in the said friends house when I was take upstairs into one of the bedrooms by one of their late teenages sons. He sexually abused me on a few occasions. Told me to keep it a secret.

What would happen if I decided to take this further?

OP posts:
explodingeyes · 14/12/2021 19:39

The police would take all the details and look to see if the person is known to them. They'd need the address and at least some of the name to trace who it is.

Original poster
Googleboxfan · 14/12/2021 19:41

I have his first name and his parents names

OP posts:
thatsallineed · 14/12/2021 19:43

Please do, if you feel you can. You probably aren't the only one to have been targeted by this paedophile.

I know a pervert who was sent to prison recently for historic sexual abuse of a child. Turned out he'd done it before, and was also grooming his next victim.

Original poster
Googleboxfan · 14/12/2021 19:45

Not sure I am currently in a good place to report this monster. But think in time I will be ready to do this

OP posts:
Craftycorvid · 14/12/2021 19:46

You can report this anonymously and it may well be that your evidence adds weight to an existing case against him. Flowers

explodingeyes · 14/12/2021 19:48

The police officers dealing with these cases are highly trained. It's highly likely that he went on to do it to others.

ANameChangeAgain · 14/12/2021 19:49

Sorry you went through this. I would report it, you will quite likely find it healing. I'm guessing that the fact you aren't in a good place probably stems back to this abuse, as so many women I know who have mh issues were abused as children. As pp said, you probably weren't his only victim, and by reporting you could helping to build a picture.

thatsallineed · 14/12/2021 19:49

I am so sorry this happened to you. Sad Have you ever sought any counselling?

Flowers
Mich2005 · 14/12/2021 19:49

I am sorry this happened to you. It’s so sad. NSPCC is a helpful resource for considering how to process and report what happened to you. It’s never too late.

www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/non-recent-abuse/

Idontknowwhatmynameis · 14/12/2021 19:50

I’m so sorry this happened to you OP. Please do report, if you feel you can.

Original poster
Googleboxfan · 14/12/2021 19:50

Yes. This has definitely affected my mental health as an adult.

I just always think about reporting him as he should not get away with it and always worry he could be doing this to someone else.

OP posts:
Original poster
Googleboxfan · 14/12/2021 19:53

I recently had EMDR Therapy for other abuse I experienced when I was a child.

I told my therapist about the sexual abuse and she helped me process this

OP posts:
Gribbie · 14/12/2021 19:54

I'm so sorry this happened to you. My experience of reporting about 35 years after the event (similar ages as you for both the abuse and the reporting) was that the police were very supportive and did their best to track down the person. In my case what happened to me was mild but I thought it might help build up a bigger case if there were other victims.

Mischance · 14/12/2021 19:57

The police would have no trouble tracing him - you know the name - your parents will know the address.

I he was teenaged then, he will still be alive. Your evidence might stop suffering for others.

Just do it. I know it is hard - but please just do it.

talkalarm · 15/12/2021 07:42

I can be emotionally hard to report, if you're not in a good place and you're not ready that's ok. If you wanted to know you've started the process you can report anonymously online through crimestoppers and the information will be logged

thenewduchessoflapland · 15/12/2021 07:50

The chances are that in the years since the disgusting individual has probably abused other children since;unusually when one victim comes forward others start doing the same.

Scrooge89 · 15/12/2021 08:03

Oh gosh OP I’ve name changed to post but I was also sexually abused at the age of 6. It was a one off by this person to me anyway. I know people know who he is as he was a friend of my grandfather’s after the incident I told my mum who told my grandfather (mum’s dad). They then cut off all contact from this friend. So a lot of my family know what he did to me. I wish I could be brave and tell the police. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the last. He was also (if he’s still alive) quite upstanding in our community but I don’t know his name or what he looks like.

Scrooge89 · 15/12/2021 08:04

I should say my mother was a teenager when she had me and my grandfather is in his 80s

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