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30 October 2020 | Podcasts | Article by Alan Collins

HJ Talks About Abuse: Eastenders


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This week the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders will tackle male sexual abuse, a storyline expected to play out over the coming weeks.

Actor Danny Dyer’s character Mick discovers a new character is his biological daughter Frankie Lewis. Viewers of the soap will establish the girl’s mother was once Mick’s care worker during his time in social care and secondly, Mick would have only been 12 years old at the time of sexual intercourse with his carer.

The storyline will focus on Mick’s realisation he was abused as a child despite having tried to avoid these emotions for many years. The storyline is set to explore Mick’s ongoing struggles with disclosure and feelings of abandonment. The long-term effects that will play out on screen for the character will be panic attacks, emotional difficulties, and mental health decline.

EastEnders have worked very closely with Survivors UK and NSPCC in the hope that the storyline will challenge the perceptions and stigma experienced by male survivors of sexual abuse. It is hoped the storyline will encourage people to come forward in similar positions to seek the help they may require.

Alex Feis-Bryce, CEO of Survivors UK, commented:

“Research suggests that it takes male survivors an average of 26 years to speak out and seek support and the impact of sexual violence can be devastating.

The following organisations are available to contact for support:

We encourage anyone who has concerns about sexual abuse to get in touch. You can contact Alan Collins at [email protected] or Danielle Vincent at [email protected].

Author bio

Alan Collins

Partner

Alan Collins is one of the best known and most experienced solicitors in the field of child abuse litigation and has acted in many high profile cases, including the Jimmy Savile and Haut de la Garenne abuse scandals. Alan has represented interested parties before public inquiries including the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry, and IICSA (Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse).

Internationally, Alan works in Australia, South East Asia, Uganda, Kenya, and California representing clients in high profile sexual abuse cases. Alan also spoke at the Third Regional Workshop on Justice for Children in East Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok hosted by Unicef and HCCH (Hague Conference on Private International Law).

Disclaimer: The information on the Hugh James website is for general information only and reflects the position at the date of publication. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be treated as such. If you would like to ensure the commentary reflects current legislation, case law or best practice, please contact the blog author.

 

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