Cassy feels the effects of abuse will never leave her but will follow her wherever she goes
All names and identifying details have been changed.
Participants have given us permission to share their experiences.
Cassy endured sexual abuse and sadistic bullying by other pupils at her private boarding school.
She is still extremely traumatised by the terrible experiences she had as a young girl.
Cassy explains that two girls, Catherine and Elizabeth, began abusing her when she was in her early teens. During the night they took her out of bed, stripped and blindfolded her and locked her in a cupboard. They also sexually assaulted her.
She remembers that the first time it happened, she was unable to get out of bed the next day, and she was reprimanded for this. She felt that her ‘house parents’ did not care.
Catherine and Elizabeth found more and more elaborate ways to physically, mentally and sexually abuse and torment Cassy. After one attack, they held her down while another pupil called Henry raped her.
Cassy’s parents were away a lot, and she felt she had no one to turn to. She believes that a teacher was aware that something was going on but did nothing to protect her.
When she began to lose weight she finally told her parents. They tried to move her to a different school but she was unable to eat for months because of the trauma she had experienced, and she was admitted to hospital. By the time she was in her mid teens, she could no longer continue with her education.
Her parents complained to the school and the police were involved. The pupils were interviewed by the police but there was no corroborating evidence and no further action was taken. Catherine and Elizabeth were allowed to remain at the school.
Cassy feels the police were supportive but she was not offered any support through her court case. She says that as soon as she turned 18, all other support offered to her by the mental health services was withdrawn.
She suffers from severe PTSD, flashbacks and night terrors. She is unable to work as a result.
Cassy believes that perpetrators should not be allowed to stay in an institution after they have abused someone, and victims should not be forced to leave. She also thinks that responsible adults who fail to safeguard children should be held to account.
She adds that there should be support available for victims of abuse during the court process, along with psychological and medical support.