Shawn says of the man who abused him ‘He’s not here to defend himself, but I am telling the truth’
All names and identifying details have been changed.
Participants have given us permission to share their experiences.
Rumours circulated about the behaviour of the teacher who was sexually abusing Shawn, but no action was taken.
He left to work at another school, and was later convicted of child sexual abuse.
Shawn grew up in the 1950s and 60s. He describes his family as loving and protective. They didn’t have much money, but he says he felt well-cared for by his mum and dad.
Shawn was sexually abused by the teacher, Mr Baker, at his school when he was 10 years old. It continued for six months.
Mr Baker groomed Shawn, praising him in front of the class for his school work. The teacher would come and sit next to him, and began putting his hands inside Shawn’s shorts and touching his genitals. Mr Baker also sexually abused Shawn during a swimming lesson.
Shawn remembers that Mr Baker tried to persuade his mother that he should give Shawn extra lessons.
He remembers rumours about Mr Baker’s behaviour going around the school but he felt that he couldn't tell his parents. They were very protective of him and he was afraid of what they might do. He says ‘I thought if I tell my dad he will kill him’, and adds that he didn’t want his father to go to prison.
The abuse ended when Mr Baker left to work at another school. He says that for some time he blocked what had happened from his memory.
Some years later, Shawn read that Mr Baker had been convicted of sexual offences against other children. He sometimes dwells on how the abuse he suffered might have escalated if Mr Baker had not left his school.
He wonders if Mr Baker was made to move because of what was suspected about his abusive behaviour. He says that action should be taken if a person's behaviour towards children is seen to be in any way inappropriate.
Shawn feels strongly that if the suspicions and rumours about Mr Baker had been investigated by the school and the police when he was being abused by the teacher, he and other boys may have come forward. Instead, he says, Mr Baker got away with abusing children for many more years.