Story
On 14th June I'm throwing myself out of a plane at 15,000 feet — which frankly terrifies me far less than the statistics around child sexual abuse.
One in four people in the UK have experienced sexual abuse before the age of 18. That's not a statistic I can ignore. When I was at university, I did work experience at a family law firm where I worked alongside guardians representing children who had suffered abuse. That experience has stayed with me ever since — these were real children, real families, and the long shadow that abuse casts into adult life is immense.
One in Four (London) provides long-term specialist counselling to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Not a few sessions — real, sustained support that helps people rebuild their sense of self, return to work, and reclaim their lives. This isn't a quick fix charity. They're in it for the long haul with people who need it most.
Watch their film to hear directly from survivors: https://youtu.be/sKUkaDLxRUM
In the current climate, with child protection issues rightly receiving greater public attention, I think the work organisations like One in Four do is more important than ever.
Please donate whatever you can — every pound goes towards giving a survivor the chance to move forward. And if you've ever been affected by these issues yourself, please know that One in Four is there: oneinfour.org.uk
