Ask Sam letter

Hi there

Thank you so much for writing to me. I’m really glad you got in touch as it sounds like you have been having such a tough time.

You said that you were raped by a man that you know, and it seems like you know his family too. From what you’ve said, it sounds like you’re scared of reporting what happened because you feel your life may be at risk if the man’s family find out. But also you said you feel lost, because you want him to be punished so that he is stopped from hurting anyone else.

What happened to you is wrong, and it was not your fault that it happened. Nobody has the right to treat you like that. You seem to be coping really well with a tough situation, and I’m so glad that you have been courageous enough to write to me and get some support for yourself. Well done.

It seems like there are quite a few important things that you are thinking through here, and I wonder what it would be like for you to talk this through with someone. You could contact ChildLine by phoning them for free on 0800 1111, signing in for a 1-2-1 chat, or you could email them. If you got in touch you would get through to a counsellor who will listen to you and support you to think through your options one by one, so that you can hopefully make them clearer in your mind and think about what to do next. How do you think it would feel to do that?

You’re doing really well at asking for support for yourself and ChildLine would be really glad to talk things through with you, if you decide to get in touch.

Take care,

Sam