From Victim to Offender by Freda Briggs

Author:Freda Briggs [Briggs, Freda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Social Work
ISBN: 9781000257205
Google: -yX5DwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2020-08-26T05:13:39+00:00

The cycle is complete

When my weekends with the Superintendent came to an end, life at the cottage returned to 'normal' and, once again, I became the prime target for the house-father's sadistic practices. As the Superintendent's 'favourite boy', I had, to some extent, been protected and Mr L had turned his attentions to two younger children. Now, he gained satisfaction from teaching me to inflict pain on others. One night, I refused to squeeze the testicles of a young boy named Tommy. I knew only too well how much it would hurt. The house-father was enraged that I dared to disobey him and he hit me with the full force of his hand across my mouth. As I keeled over, he grabbed my testicles and squeezed hard. I screamed loudly as the pain spread across my body.

'Now, you little cunt, if you don't do as you're told, I'll cut your balls off,' he said.

I had no doubt that he was capable of carrying out his threat and, thereafter, I complied with his instructions. However, 'Yes sir, I'll do it, sir' was always followed by, 'Sorry, Tommy, I have to do it'. But neither my apology nor my sympathetic glances decreased the intensity of the pain suffered by these little six and seven year olds and when they cried, I suffered too.

Robert and I were now very close. When either of us had the misfortune to be chosen as a victim for adult sexual barbarism, the other empathised. We sat for hours on the front steps and on the back verandah and we talked and talked. Mostly, we talked about escaping from our hostile world but it was not merely a matter of running away from the cottage (which we knew to be futile) but journeying to other continents. In our imaginary travels, there were no limits. We sailed around Cape Horn with the wind and the rain on our faces. We were the first conquerors of Mount Everest. We crossed deserts by camel. Wherever we went, there were only the two of us and we were always safe because there were no adults in our world.

The saddest time of my life was when Robert confided that his father was about to leave his job at the cottage. I could not believe it. Surely Robert could take me with him? The house-parent's departure should have been a time for celebration but, of course, it wasn't because he was taking his son away from me. I was distraught.

As the date of departure drew near, we spent our time together on the steps crying and consoling each other. Robert's dad was my father figure and Robert was my adopted 'brother'. Despite all that I had suffered at the hands of Mr L, this was the only family that I'd ever really known. We promised that we would maintain contact with each other for the rest of our lives.

Until the very last moment, I refused to accept the inevitable. And then the taxi arrived and Robert and his family closed the doors and the car began to move slowly along the drive.

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