A Birchington councillor has been one of the guest speakers at a major conference for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Mum-of-two Suzanne Brimm was invited to speak at the Voicing CSA event in north London last weekend because of her work with a mother fighting for justice after her boys were targeted by paedophiles.
Two of those responsible for the crimes are now dead and another, Arnold Bracs, was jailed for life, with a minimum tariff of 15 years, in 2013 but it was not until this year that Kent County Council apologised for failings to investigate and an ‘unacceptably long’ delay in interviewing one of the young victims.
Cllr Brimm told the gathering she had been working with the family for 18 months and had managed to bring national attention to the case. She also spoke of how the horror of the case had made her “physically sick.”
The family are hoping further victims of Bracs, who had 12 previous convictions, will come forward.
During the conference Cllr Brimm also spoke about the duty of care for councillors and MPs and accused North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale of not acting enough on the mother’s appeal for help.
Sir Roger said the allegation was “a malicious libel,” but that he does not ever comment publicly on confidential constituency case work.
Cllr Brimm says she took on the family’s case some six years after they first tried to get help.
She claimed an accusation from Sir Roger that she was trying to further her political career was untrue, adding: “All I want is justice for that lady and her children because we are dealing with severely damaged adults, severely damaged children, adults who were severely damaged as children.”
Cllr Brimm said the media coverage of the family’s case had given others the courage to speak out.
Cllr Brimm also spoke about whistleblowing and the resulting treatment from that but added that those in a position of responsibility had to abide by the seven Nolan principles of public life. She added: “If you can’t, you are in the wrong job.”
Voicing CSA works with survivors to speak and to be listened to and to find the proper channels to help them in recovery.
Watch Voicing CSA: The Mouse, aimed at spreading the message of The Truth Project and raising awareness of child sex abuse, here