Monday 13 January 2014

Drop my pants and bend over a leather armchair...

I know, the heading could have come from any one of loads of stories and accounts shown on blogs in our little world. But it didn't, instead I found it in yesterday's Sunday Times and the extract below could have been part of an erotic story but it wasn't....it was an actual account of abuse in one of Britain's top fee paying schools decades ago.

.....a year after arriving at the school in 1962, he was sent to be disciplined one night after being told off by a prefect for talking in the dormitory.

“I hadn’t been talking . . . so I said it wasn’t fair,” he recalled. He was instructed to take up the matter with the then rector Thomas Duggan, and remembered “going down one or two flights of stairs, then along this long dark corridor . . . into his room”.

“I remember him walking me up and down the room with his hand on my back and him saying, ‘Surely you’re not afraid of a little thrashing’, and me saying, ‘No, no, it’s not that, it’s the principle,’ and being proud of having got the word principle out.

“And then his hand went lower and started tapping my backside and he said, ‘Well, you realise, you’ve still got to be punished.’ Then he told me to take my dressing gown off and drop my pants and bend over a leather armchair in his room.”

Apparently several schools are being taken to court for compensation to be paid to victims of abuse, I presume they don't mean the thrashings which were perfectly legal but sexual abuse, about which the article does not go into detail. You can imagine.

I hate abuse, especially of minors. I imagine many of those 'top' educational facilities will be trying to keep their names out of the press by offering out of court settlements, I hope they fail. Britain is a good place to live but our 'elite' are often hypocrites with a lot to hide, it's nice to see them squirm sometimes even though no one usually takes any responsibility. Rant over.

Now as for the account itself, under different circumstances and between consenting adults....well that's a different matter.

Have a good week.

Ronnie
xx

15 comments:

Michael M said...

School was different then and you just got on with it. Now everyone wants compensating for one thing or another.

bobbsroom said...

Michael is right, school was different then and if you where a kid you would not know any different, but a system that allows older kids to beat younger kids is always going to be open to abuse. At least there seems to be more protection for people coming forward now and as we have seen justice is starting to be served

BOB B

Roz said...

It was definitely a different time and very open to abuse. I think it's good that the abuse is being highlighted and that the victims are now able to come forward.

Hugs,
Roz

ronnie said...

Michael - I know school was different then and I agree some people jumping on the band wagon but thank goodness people have the courage to come forward. Abuse is still going on in institutions and even our hospitals. Thanks.

BOB - It wasn't so much the older boys but their guardians/teachers, people they trusted. I could write a whole post about this. Thanks.

Roz - I agree. Thanks.

Love,
Ronnie
xx

PK said...

Strange how it can go from wonderfully delicious to icky. 'Adult consensual' two words that mean everything.

Aimless Rambling said...

If it actually happened as reported to me it smacks of perversion. You can only hope that things are made right but just like here, it's doubtful the ones who are actually responsible accept the blame.

an English Rose said...

Hi Ronnie, we read this too, like PK says, very icky
love Jan.xx

Kenzie said...

Like PK said, Adult consensual, two words that mean everything!

Hermione said...

Yet it was commonly considered an acceptable part of growing up for boys - especially those in public schools.

How times have changed!

Hugs,
Hermione

SPANKEDHORTIC II said...

I have been listening to reports of the investigations on BBC Radio 4. Let us hope that they are as successful as Operation Yew Tree has proved to be.

Prefectdt

ronnie said...

PK - Your are right there. Thanks.

SG - We have/had one going on with a celebrity DJ. Him abusing people only came out after he died. People afraid to come forward before. Thanks.

Jan - Icky indeed. Thanks.

Kenzie - Yes, everything. Thanks.

Hermione - Abuse still goes on. We have had abuse cases her in care homes and hospitals. Thanks.

Prefectdt - I can't believe how many he abused. Thank you.

Love,
Ronnie
xx

Ami Starsong said...

School was definitely different then, and perhaps we wouldn't have so many young people with such atrocious behaviour if it reverted just a tad - after all, often just the threat of the ruler, the cane or the slipper was often enough to keep us all in line. But "sexual abuse, or intentional abuse" is a different thing altogether and when it is children who are affected it sickens me to think about it. Some of the horrifying stories from the NSPCC are enough to give anyone nightmares. It is everyone's responsibility to be vigilant if they see children they think may be suffering some form of abuse. I know during my years as a teacher I learned to recognise abuse in many different guises, and one of the worst was psychological abuse.

Interesting article Ronnie, and good to be reminded of such things.

Hugs
Ami

Anonymous said...

Ronnie,

My private schools used CP. Sometimes it was abusive. We dealt with it, but the experience has turned me firmly against CP in schools.

Now, for adults, well, you know how I feel about a good thrashing with a belt.

Hugs,
joey

1ManView said...

Even today, there's too much abuse, especially against those who can not fight back in hospitals and resorts for the elderly...

ronnie said...

Ami - I agree, abuse comes in so many different guises. Thanks.

Joey - Oh yes Joey, we know:) Thank you.

1MV - I agree. We recently have had exactly that here. Thanks.

Love,
Ronnie
xx