Uncovering the Legacy of the Cleveland Child Sexual Abuse Case
by Beatrix Campbell
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The child sexual abuse scandal in the English county of Cleveland in the 1980s was a defining moment but not the scandal we were led to believe it was.
Acclaimed journalist Beatrix Campbell has uncovered government documents that show how medical evidence of childhood rape identified by pioneering paediatricians was deemed credible but ‘dangerous’ – it was more important to save money than save children.
This book reveals how this secret has framed policy making and public opinion and the consequences it has had for children, professionals, justice and the state.
The deaths of ‘national treasures’ Sir Jimmy Savile and Sir Cyril Smith led to a torrent of evidence of childhood suffering, the discovery of widespread sexual exploitation and institutional abuse across the world – all in plain sight.
The Cleveland children have remained in the shadows. Now, for the first time, a Cleveland child delves into her records and shares her story.
Beatrix Campbell is an award-winning writer, broadcaster and political activist. Her book Wigan Pier Revisited – one of Virago’s bestsellers – won the Cheltenham Literature Festival Prize.
She has written about politics, crime, community, gender, child abuse and sexual politics for a range of publications from The Guardian, The Independent, the New Statesman, Marxism Today to OpenDemocracy and Byline Times. She has participated in many TV and radio programmes, including Any Questions and Question Time. She has also written acclaimed plays with co-author Judith Jones.
Described as a charismatic speaker and campaigner, she has received many awards, including the Nancy Astor Media Awards Campaigning Journalist of the Year, six honorary doctorates and an OBE for services to equality.
