Welcome to Society’s Hidden Secrets.

A place to learn and talk about life after historic abuse in childhood.

A public interest platform highlighting systemic failures and policy gaps in children’s social care.

My Story

I was born at St. Michael’s Hospital in Bristol, England.
From 1986 to 1997, I grew up within the UK care system, spending much of my childhood under the guardianship of Bristol City Council — previously Avon County Council until its abolition in 1996.

During my years in care, I suffered sexual abuse by multiple individuals who were granted access to me while I was living under the authority’s protection.
Years later, an investigation led by a Bristol City Council-appointed officer concluded that evidence suggested I had been a victim of sexual abuse. I received an admission. I received an apology.

But I did not get justice.

Why I Speak

For too long, the voices of children in care have been dismissed, rewritten, or erased.
The systems designed to protect often become the very structures that silence.

I lived through that silence — the disbelief, the buried records, the years of trying to prove a truth that was always there.
That is why I speak now.
Not just for myself, but for every child who was told to forget, and every adult who still carries what was done to them in the name of “care.”

The Purpose of This Space

This platform exists as a place for truth, connection, and accountability.
It is built especially for survivors of abuse within the care system — all care-experienced survivors are welcome.

Here, we can:

  • Share lived experiences without fear of censorship.
  • Build a collective record of truth that cannot be erased.
  • Support one another through the long journey of healing.
  • Transform personal testimony into evidence for change — research, policy reform, and public awareness.

Together, we can turn silence into strength, and pain into purpose.

My Belief

Every survivor’s story matters.
Every truth withheld is a truth that needs to be told.

Change begins when we refuse to carry shame that was never ours to bear.
Healing begins when our stories are not questioned, but witnessed.

This is my contribution — to create a space where care-experienced people can reclaim their narratives, build solidarity, and help shape a future where no child is silenced by the system meant to protect them.

This platform serves as a survivor-led initiative to document and analyse failures in social care and child protection systems. Its purpose is to support reform, raise awareness, and ensure accountability through lawful public interest disclosure.

Mission Statement

To build an online community that amplifies the voices of survivors of abuse within the care system — with a focus on the UK experience — and to use those shared truths to drive reform, accountability, and healing through evidence-based storytelling, advocacy, and research collaboration. All survivors who experienced abuse in foster care are welcome regardless of geographic location.

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