Mum would take me to a cameo theatre in Leicester Square, London, to see children’s cartoon matinees when I was 5 years old. I only remember one visit to that cinema. The first four rows of seats at the front were full of kids, so we sat about 10 rows back, dead centre – best view in the house. The rest of the darkened cinema was completely empty.
While gazing up at the cartoons I sensed movement and looked to my right. A man was approaching in my direction, and he didn’t stop until he sat down, right next to me!
After a moment or two, I felt a hand on my thigh and I looked round at Mum, but she was absorbed in the cartoon - I remember the light flickering on her face. That hand remained motionless on my thigh for several minutes during which time I was completely paralysed, frozen, unable to respond in any way. Totally helpless!
Then that hand left my thigh as he got up from his seat, walked away in the dark and left. And that was 76 years ago. My experience was nothing compared to that of so many other unfortunate vulnerable children, wherever they are.
Ampleforth, Downside, Stoneyhurst. Common denominator? Catholic .
Ampleforth staffed by monks. I don’t know about the the other two but judging by the problems of paedophilia with the Catholic church in Ireland I’m not surprised to see reports of ‘kiddy fiddling’ at these schools.
I am rather relieved to think that I and nobody I know who went to my school ever reported or was aware of ‘kiddy fiddling’.
However, the declaration by the father of one of my school friends that “the masters must be mad to work here” turned out to be true in the case of one of the House Masters. He was arrested for shop lifting. His home was found to be chock full of stolen goods. Poor fellow.
At my grammar school the headmaster (he would have been perfect for “If”) stood up in front of the whole school at morning assembly and said “Boys, there’s a film on the television tonight and you are forbidden to watch it” yeah right. Next morning 600 very weary 11 to 18 year old students with revolution in mind:rofl:
Jane, I’m sure you’re right when you say that abusers are often skilled at manipulating kids not to talk. I wonder whether in the current climate, with all the attendant publicity about paedophilia, kids might be more inclined to raise concerns with appropriate authorities.
After your response earlier, out of curiosity, I searched online for references to my old public school and paedophilia. There was (fortunately) “only” one case, that of a housemaster who abused his charges during late night visits to their bedrooms, ostensibly to check up on their ‘work and well-being’ (sic). In 2020 this housemaster was formally complained about by one of the kids, others then came forward with similar. He was immediately fired, and then jailed for 5 years. I suspect, but have no proof, that boys might not have had the courage to report this type of thing years ago, especially for a trusted authority like a public school housemaster. I hope current awareness might mean they would now so so, and, fortunately they evidently did in the 2020 case.
Isn’t this the perennial problem? Because it didn’t happen to you, and none of your mates told you they had been interfered with, your assumption is that it didn’t exist in your school.
On a similar these, I haven’t yet seen the film “She Said”, which exposes the decades of silence around the subject of sexual assault and harassment in the film industry. And I’m not going to get all #MeToo about paedophilia in schools, as that’s just the way it was. But it needs to be aired to stop it happening (as much) in the future.
Just to bring a little balance, I know 2 ex-teachers who were forced to leave the profession through malicious accusations made by children under their care. In neither case was there anything sexual (one accused of assault, one of racism) but it’s worth bearing in mind that for a small minority of kids, accusation can also be a weapon.
We must always be sure that what has been alleged did take place.
I am quite sure that in the enclosed world of this school - and I mean enclosed geographically as well as socially - any instance could not have been suppressed. Word would go round.
And/or it would have emerged in later years. But it never has, to my knowledge.
One reason may be that the school was run on 'varsity lines. Masters roles were academic or on the sports field. They had no ‘pastoral’ role, except perhaps the House Master and/or House Tutor.
Other than that, one only saw a master alone under special academic circumstances. This was rare because it was left to the boys to pursue their studies as they would at university, under their own steam, seeing the masters only for the ‘lectures’ in class time. This was so much the case that I realise now that this m.o. was disastrous for my own education.
The boys, in the form of the School Prefects and House Prefects, ‘ran’ the day to day life of the boys.
Other societies run on the same lines are the Armed Services. The officers have their role as commanders. The day to day life of the men is in the hands of the NCOs.
It is wonderful that you have such a positive view of the world, but the army! Not exactly a role model. Ok less opportunity for paedophiles, but even so:
“In 2021, 22 trainees at the [Army Foundation College] for recruits aged 16–17 were victims of recorded sexual offences. In the same year, 37 girls aged under 18 across the armed forces were victims sexual offences.”
Other groups at high risk include members of local cadet forces.
As of 2021, official surveys indicate that between 15% and 25% of British armed forces personnel experience sexual harassment at least once per year. The experience of ‘particularly upsetting’ incidents is more common among women, particularly in the army, where 35% of female soldiers said in 2021 they had had such an experience in the previous 12 months.
