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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2016/sep/08/convicted-paedophile-teenage-girl-child-abuse-psychiatrist
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| Sam is a convicted paedophile … and a teenage girl Sam is a convicted paedophile … and a teenage girl | |
| (3 months later) | |
| Sam* is a paedophile. Sam’s offence was a serious one – threatening a young boy and forcibly kissing and touching him. Sam was found guilty of this offence, and has a past history of offending including assaults, theft and drug use. | Sam* is a paedophile. Sam’s offence was a serious one – threatening a young boy and forcibly kissing and touching him. Sam was found guilty of this offence, and has a past history of offending including assaults, theft and drug use. |
| Sam is not in prison. Sam is in hospital. Sam was sent to hospital because the court took the view that the degree of mental illness that Sam had, in the form of schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder, was so severe that Sam would not be safe in a custodial setting. | Sam is not in prison. Sam is in hospital. Sam was sent to hospital because the court took the view that the degree of mental illness that Sam had, in the form of schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder, was so severe that Sam would not be safe in a custodial setting. |
| Sam is a teenage girl. Her history of contact with social services began before she was born. Her mother also had mental health problems, and was using heroin throughout her pregnancy. Sam never knew her mother who abandoned her soon after the birth. Instead, Sam was looked after by her father who was part of a paedophile ring. Sam suffered chronic abuse and still lives with the physical side effects. | Sam is a teenage girl. Her history of contact with social services began before she was born. Her mother also had mental health problems, and was using heroin throughout her pregnancy. Sam never knew her mother who abandoned her soon after the birth. Instead, Sam was looked after by her father who was part of a paedophile ring. Sam suffered chronic abuse and still lives with the physical side effects. |
| The paedophile ring was subsequently exposed by the police, her father went to prison and Sam spent most of her childhood with a relative, who failed to protect her from a series of physically and at times sexually abusive partners. Social, health and education services all raised concerns that she was often inappropriately dressed for the weather, looked undernourished and had bruises that were hard to explain, but the family frequently relocated when people came knocking at the door. She had few friends, and when she did go to school she often sat quietly on her own in the corner so that she could see who was around her. | The paedophile ring was subsequently exposed by the police, her father went to prison and Sam spent most of her childhood with a relative, who failed to protect her from a series of physically and at times sexually abusive partners. Social, health and education services all raised concerns that she was often inappropriately dressed for the weather, looked undernourished and had bruises that were hard to explain, but the family frequently relocated when people came knocking at the door. She had few friends, and when she did go to school she often sat quietly on her own in the corner so that she could see who was around her. |
| She began self-harming, took an overdose and attempted suicide. She has scars that will be visible for the rest of her life. She’s had psychotic episodes as a result of using a mixture of amphetamines and ketamine. She continues to experience voices that tell her that she is worthless and should try to kill herself. On her worst nights, she relives her experiences at the hands of every abuser that has ever touched her – they’re holding her down, and nobody ever comes to make it stop. | She began self-harming, took an overdose and attempted suicide. She has scars that will be visible for the rest of her life. She’s had psychotic episodes as a result of using a mixture of amphetamines and ketamine. She continues to experience voices that tell her that she is worthless and should try to kill herself. On her worst nights, she relives her experiences at the hands of every abuser that has ever touched her – they’re holding her down, and nobody ever comes to make it stop. |
| Sam’s story is not the worst I’ve come across. Sam is not simply defined by her behaviour. She is a frightened, fragmented and traumatised little girl who finds praise terrifying, because in the past it was so often associated with abuse of her trust. We’re working with her and with the other girls on my ward, to try to begin the process of healing. She doesn’t understand why we are trying, but she knows that we are, and that we will never give up on her, even when she begs us to. We are very conscious of her risks to others, but the most pressing need is to stop her from killing herself. | Sam’s story is not the worst I’ve come across. Sam is not simply defined by her behaviour. She is a frightened, fragmented and traumatised little girl who finds praise terrifying, because in the past it was so often associated with abuse of her trust. We’re working with her and with the other girls on my ward, to try to begin the process of healing. She doesn’t understand why we are trying, but she knows that we are, and that we will never give up on her, even when she begs us to. We are very conscious of her risks to others, but the most pressing need is to stop her from killing herself. |
| Sam is already surprising us with her shy sense of humour and resilience despite her background. When she gets frightened or feels insecure, she carries around a stuffed toy that carries stains and holes in the same manner and frequency that Sam carries her scars. | Sam is already surprising us with her shy sense of humour and resilience despite her background. When she gets frightened or feels insecure, she carries around a stuffed toy that carries stains and holes in the same manner and frequency that Sam carries her scars. |
| I’m a child and adolescent forensic psychiatrist and I have worked in a secure adolescent service for six and a half years. I understand why the general public and the media tend to have binary definitions of people – when awful things happen, it helps us to make sense of it. We have a reason, an explanation – they’re “evil”, born bad, they have wonky genetics, they’re “not like us”. We’re right – Sam is not like us. She didn’t have the same childhood, the same opportunities or the same care. She never had anyone to tell her that things would be OK, or to rescue her when she was in pain and thought she would die. She never had anyone to help her understand that she can be whoever she wants to be, that she doesn’t have to replicate the same cycle, or that relationships with other people can be safe. She never had anyone to share her hopes and dreams with. She never had anyone that she could trust. | I’m a child and adolescent forensic psychiatrist and I have worked in a secure adolescent service for six and a half years. I understand why the general public and the media tend to have binary definitions of people – when awful things happen, it helps us to make sense of it. We have a reason, an explanation – they’re “evil”, born bad, they have wonky genetics, they’re “not like us”. We’re right – Sam is not like us. She didn’t have the same childhood, the same opportunities or the same care. She never had anyone to tell her that things would be OK, or to rescue her when she was in pain and thought she would die. She never had anyone to help her understand that she can be whoever she wants to be, that she doesn’t have to replicate the same cycle, or that relationships with other people can be safe. She never had anyone to share her hopes and dreams with. She never had anyone that she could trust. |
| It is my great privilege to work alongside our clinical team in trying to help people like Sam. When young people begin to trust us and reach out for the first time, my faith in the human spirit surpasses anything I ever thought possible. By day, I love my job with a passion, I work hard to help my patients recover from extreme trauma and illness, and I would never want to do anything else – by night, I dare to dream of a better world for the next Sam that is born. | It is my great privilege to work alongside our clinical team in trying to help people like Sam. When young people begin to trust us and reach out for the first time, my faith in the human spirit surpasses anything I ever thought possible. By day, I love my job with a passion, I work hard to help my patients recover from extreme trauma and illness, and I would never want to do anything else – by night, I dare to dream of a better world for the next Sam that is born. |
| *Sam is a composite of this psychiatrist’s experiences of patient care | *Sam is a composite of this psychiatrist’s experiences of patient care |
| If you would like to contribute to our Blood, sweat and tears series which is about memorable moments in a healthcare career, please read our guidelines and get in touch by emailing sarah.johnson@theguardian.com. | If you would like to contribute to our Blood, sweat and tears series which is about memorable moments in a healthcare career, please read our guidelines and get in touch by emailing sarah.johnson@theguardian.com. |
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