41
Speaking out
to give others
the courage
to do sosent home. But settling back
into the family was really hard.
I was absolutely convinced
that we’d be sent back to the
nuns at any moment.
Fred and I never asked
our parents why they had
sent us away – we’d both learnt
the consequences of asking
any questions.
Over time, I came to realise
it was because Mum and Dad
just hadn’t been able to look
after us properly.
They thought they were
sending us to a loving home
for children, and had no idea
about the abuse.
As Fred and I grew up, we
made the decision to never
tell our parents what had
happened at the convent.
Despite everything, we
didn’t blame them for sending
us away.
After school, I got a job in
a bakery and tried to put it all
behind me.
At 18, I was married and in
August 1973, I had a son, Lee.
The following year, I had
twins, Michael and Michelle.
Although my marriage didn’t
work out, I adored my children.
And, above anything,
I wanted to make sure they felt
loved and safe.
I met Jack, then 40, in April
1980, through my sister.
We fell in love and Jack was
a wonderful husband and
stepdad to the kids.
I told him little bits about
my past, but I struggled to open
up about the sexual assault.
Jack would often say to me,
‘I’ll always be with you – even
if you go to Africa.’
It was our little joke, from
the boy at school who fanciedme, all those years earlier.
Then, in August 2010,
Jack died suddenly from
a heart attack.
My whole world fell apart.
He had been my soulmate and
my best friend. I spent the next
few years trying to piece my
life back together.
Then, in 2015, two police
officers came to see me, told me
they were investigating claims
of abuse against Sister Isobel
O’Brien, at Greenfield House
Convent, Billinge, St Helens.
Called Operation Cleopatra,
it was part of a major inquiry
stretching back around 40 years.
‘We’ve had other complaints,’
they told me.
It was no surprise that other
kids had suffered at her hands.
I told them what I could –
but I still couldn’t manage
to talk about everything.
They told me O’Brien was
going to be held to account.
But the next contact I had
was to say she had died before
she could face court.
It was too late for justice and
so bitterly unfair. It was a bigblow andmyanxietyand
flashbacksgotworse.
Now,almost 60 yearsafter
the abusebegan,I’vefinally
found thecourageto share
the fulldetailsof thehorrors
I suffered.AndI hope,byo od
CHED
I
n a statementtothePress,theArchdioceseof
Birminghamsaidit hadpubliclyapologisedto
all abusevictimsinvolvingthechurch,duringthe
ongoingIndependentInquiryintoChildSexualAbuse.
A spokeswomanadded,‘TheArchdioceseis
committedtosafeguardingandthedooris openfor
all survivorstomeetArchbishopBernardLongley
to talkabouttheirexperiencesif theywish.
‘Inrelationtothisparticularcase,theArchdiocese
safeguardingteamwereinformedoftheallegation
madebytheindividual.Thesafeguardingco-ordinator
in postatthetime(2016),spokeatlengthwith
the individualandexploredsupportwhichcould
be helpfultoher.Thisincludedmeetingwiththe
SistersofCharityofStPaul.’A public apology
speaking out, I can give other
survivors of abuse the courage
to come forward.
I feel so much better,
now that the truth is out there.
It’s a fresh start for me.