DEAR DEIDRE: MY son revealed that his cousin sexually abused him when he was a teenager.
His cousin came to live with us at the age of 18 when his mum threw him out.
The abuse happened on several occasions at my home and included rape.
My son doesn’t want to involve the police because his cousin has a partner and a little boy aged three.
My son is 30 now and his cousin is 35.
I am his 58-year-old mum. I told my son’s dad shortly afterwards.
He was completely taken aback. I think we are both in shock and don’t want to believe it.
My husband said it would split the family up if we say anything, but I told him I didn’t care if it did.
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I feel so guilty about all of this because I was the one who brought my son’s cousin into our family.
I would never have done so if I knew what he was capable of.
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DEIDRE SAYS: Please don’t feel guilty – you couldn’t have known what would happen. It’s not too late to report this man but it has to be your son’s decision.
Prosecutions for childhood sexual abuse can be made decades later.
This man now has a child of his own who may be at risk of abuse too.
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Your son can contact the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, which offers understanding and advice for abuse survivors (napac.org.uk, 0808 801 0331).
My support pack, Abused As A Child, should help too.
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