The article is about Frances Andrade who was abused by her choirmaster as a child. Michael Brewer seems to be pretty much the standard stereotype of that pervert we're coming to recognise in this country. He'd get Mrs Andrade into his office and do whatever he wanted to her. His wife (how the wives get involved always amazes me) also was implicated later on. All this happened to Frances when she was in her teens. But this isn't what is notable about this story, because had she not have died then yours truly, and indeed you, would never have heard of any of it. Anonymity ceases once you're deceased.
In our country all victims of sexual abuse get immediate anonymity. Thank God. It means they won't be afraid to speak out about what has happened to them and means they will speak out to get the perpetrators convicted. Again though, why is this case special? Well, Frances Andrade is dead. She took her own life during the trial of Brewer. The Barrister for Brewer's defence called her a 'liar' and 'fantasist'. It sounds like a Corrie trial to me and ordinary would be expected so that all the evidence comes out and people are challenged on their accusations.
Now I don't think the barrister is to blame at all, but can you imagine how bad s/he must feel now. It's absolutely the barrister's job to challenge people. We don't want people convicted when the witnesses haven't been asked all the tough questions. The blame (I would think) lies with victim support. I've worked on some stories about victim support as part of my journalism training in recent months and basically, the further you go into the system, the less they care about you. It seemed to me that by the time people get to court they feel completely alone and almost without support. For some cases this isn't an issue but in one like this, where a 48 year old woman who has 4 children is having to drag up memories of being abused and then be attacked for her accusations, then there should be far more support.
There's that story then, make what you will of what I've written. I've actually known two paedophiles. WOAH! you shout. Let me swiftly clarify. I've never been a victim of abuse but have been in contact with two perpetrators thereof. Firstly, Sean Jennings who was the Choirmaster at Bristol Boy's Choir. Anyone who knows me will know that I had nothing to do with the singing there really but my brother was quite the little Aled Jones. Well Mr Jennings touched up the piano-boy by all accounts and downloaded a load of children porn. Insane init but that was the first one I knew.
The second one I had far more direct contact with. Gerald Sidney, or Major Sidney as he was to me was an officer at the Marine Cadet unit I went to in my teens. This man ALWAYS had a favourite. I was never it but he later got convicted for touching three boys. It's insane I know and I knew even back then that this man, who was the FATTEST, GROSSEST man I've ever known, was a shady type. Major Sidney was a magistrate. I don't have anything more to say on that other than at some point he would have sent people to prison himself. I knew people who stood up in court to testify against him but I haven't ever asked them about it. I wish I had now as I'd like to know whether they got the support that they deserved. We need to make sure they do though.
Next blog will be far more cheery, I promise.
No comments:
Post a Comment