A hard-hitting theatre production is supporting the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse as it comes to Cornwall.
The Truth Project will hold sessions for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse at four locations in the county in November.
The sessions are the opportunity for people to share their experiences in a supportive and confidential setting.
The national inquiry is investigating institutional failures to protect children from sexual abuse. Information gathered during Truth Project sessions will mean the Inquiry can build a better picture of what occurred in the past; more than 1400 people have already shared their stories.
Theatre director Patrick Sandford was nine years old and growing up in Kent when he was sexually abused by his primary school teacher.
‘I know I was not the only child he abused,’ he said.
‘In my family, the teacher was always right, so I could never talk about it, and anyway, at that time anything to do with sex was dirty, not to be mentioned.
‘I see now I internalised the shame, and grew up believing that I was defective, ugly, not a proper person, certainly not a proper man. The bad thing done to me became “I am bad”.
In his twenties and thirties Patrick sought help and says he is proud of how he battled to recover.
‘My escape from myself was not alcohol or drugs, it was an addiction to the theatre.
‘I had a fulfilling career as a theatre director and finally brought the two sides of my life together in my show, Groomed.’
Patrick describes the show as ‘short, fast moving and absolutely not depressing’.
‘What was most striking when I started performing it was how many people identified with my situation - people who may not themselves have been abused,’ he said.
‘We all have wounds from which we must recover.’
Patrick will perform Groomed at the Mylor Theatre in Truro this evening (Monday Sep 24).
To find out more about the Truth Project and sessions to be held in Cornwall visit https://www.truthproject.org.uk