AS we all know from the news, child sexual exploitation in this country is beyond rife and the figures are staggering.
One in eight children are abused before they are eighteen – yep, you heard that right.
Children who are abused are three times more likely to attempt suicide when they grow up. Many never truly escape the horror of what happened to them and it impacts on their mental health, on their prospects, their confidence and achievements.
In 80 per cent of cases, the abuser is known to the victim. Disgusting isn’t it? Happened to me, with a Barnsley doctor as it happens. And it is only in the last few months, after doing a bit of homework, that I realised I wasn’t the only one he took advantage of in his surgery, after hours, when I was ten. I’m fine, I’m lucky, but the memory is permanent.
There is a non-profit charity called SAPREA that was set up to help female survivors, to build up their confidence, to listen to them, empower and help them heal.
The lovely Kim Thornton is working with them to fundraise and she has organised a ladies only evening event in Oakwell on Saturday, May 17 from 5-11pm. There will be live music, a bar, food, dancing, fun, good vibes and the tickets are only £11.55.
She is also looking for local businesses to sponsor the event and only asking £40 minimum to do that, which is peanuts in exchange for advertising, a free ticket and good karma.
Maybe you’d just like to donate or send in a raffle prize for her for the evening.
This is a wonderful cause and if you can support in any way, can you please send her a message on saprea.kim@hotmail.com
Before Callum Simpon’s title fight on Saturday, there was the most emotional VT rolled out that I think I’ve ever seen where Callum (and his family) talk about his late sister Lily-Rae who died in a tragic road accident last September, aged only 19.
Even pundit Johnny Nelson had to bow out of the interview because he was too upset to speak.
It was a beautiful tribute for a beautiful, beloved girl, whose name Callum wore on his robe and he will carry her with him throughout his career, no doubt: the angel on his shoulder. It was heartbreaking.
We have to let our young people, our children, leave the safety of our wings to make their way in the world, and all we can do is hope and pray that their adventures will be safe.
Life is unfair, it plays to no rules and the hard truth is that good things happen to bad people – and sadly and too often, bad things happen to the good.
If I may jump on the letter from Linda Parkinson last week and say that the plans to further swank up Barnsley are marvellous.
The big rose sculptures will be lovely and anything to extend the wonderfulness of the present centre will be welcomed.
Loving the new Harral’s cocktail bar by the way – what a fantastic addition. Beautifully done.
BUT, as Linda says, there does need to be some money spent on improving some of the forgotten areas of the centre and the roads out of it.
And while we’re on the subject of bettering, can someone have a look at the traffic lights by Penny Pie Park because in peak traffic times, congestion is worse than it ever was and cars are banked down to the town end. Something needs a tweak.
