What made you want to set up NAPAC?
I set up NAPAC as I was abused in my childhood, (as it says on NAPAC website…www.napac.org.uk). I kept it bottled up for most of my life until I hit a difficult time in my late thirties when I felt I had to face it and talk about it. BUT there was nowhere for me as an adult to go. So I rang ChildLine and they encouraged me to set up a similar organization but for adults.
Do you personally get anything from doing NAPAC?
Doing NAPAC I get many emotional rewards, I love when we open e-mails, letters etc that say things like ‘thank-you for the help, it has helped me work though my problems’
When NAPAC receives messages like this it means so much to me and my team as we are helping people who need to be supported. I don’t get any financial rewards from the website as such but I am a paid full-time member of staff so I am very fortunate that I get paid for doing something I love and feel very privileged to be doing. It is very rewarding knowing that in some small way we have helped adults have a voice about their past abuse and more importantly helping them to move on positively in their life.
What would you like to see change about the sexual abuse of children?
I want it to stop!!
I wouldn’t say this was about changing the law exactly but I think we need to change the
culture in which we bring children up. For example, if parents smack their child that child may grow up and smack their children, then that child may do the same and so on. It’s a cycle of violence and sometimes this can be sometimes the way with abusers .This is the cycle we need to change so no abuser can use the “I was abused” as an excuse anymore.
Do you believe in naming and shaming of sex offenders such as Sarah’s Law and Megan’s Law?
Well this is an hard question,, I would have to say YES if it was 100% protection for the children, but a NO if it means it could endanger children even more as it could mean that some child abusers go “underground” and become a bigger risk. The police will not be able to supervise offenders so it could put more children in danger. If it works then it’s a definite yes but remember most abuse is perpetrated by someone close to the child and not a stranger. I would however stress my deep admiration for Sara Payne and Shy Keenan for the amazing and dedicated efforts they have made in trying to achieve greater protection for our children.
Do you agree with people who have been or who are being abused should hide it?
Definitely not. Abuse thrives on secrecy, silence and fear. Which is why all abusers are cowards.
NAPAC feels that no one should be forced to talk about it if the person doesn’t feel ready
to, if those who feel ready to talk about it do then it may encourage other people who have been are being abused get the stregnth to talk about it. The people who do stand up and talk about are indeed brave to do that.
Do you think that paedophiles can be cured?
Asking this implies that paedophilia is an illness which it is not! If people choose to offend against children then they are making a very wicked choice to hurt an innocent child (and ALL children are innocent in this respect)
What do you think about what was in the media a few weeks ago about making it law that all convicted sex offenders have to have the castration tablet?
Well, if it was a 100% effective then of course I do think it should happen, but at the same time it doesn’t necessarily stop the abuser abusing because he doesn’t have a penis or a sexual urge. Abuse is about power and control.
They may still have the mental desire to carry on abusing children. Castration may be a small part of a very big problem.
I would like to say thank-you to Pete and Helen from (NAPAC) for giving me the chance to meet them and to talk to them and a big thank-you for answering the questions.