She was told she was bad, they locked her away.
They tried to reabilitate her, they only ignited her.
They labelled her a fallen woman, she rose up.
She wasnt a rebel,she was a shining light.
They called her a liar, she was a truth teller.
They tried to silence her,
Started filming today where everything started for me 63 years ago in the Catholic run Nazareth House in Kilmarnock.Scotland. This is where I spent my first eight years. I need to do this to show how the Scottish criminal justice system and child abuse charities treat survivors.
All we have heard since the name of the BBC presenter was exposed is everyone offering support to the presenter and going out of their way to discredit, criminalise and silence the victim. I am a survivor of child sex abuse and I have been campaigning all of my life. If i take
Today I sat and watched the documentary on the life of Sinead O'Connor on Sky in tears, and I have to say, I have never ever felt more inspired or proud to be a child abuse campaigner. What an outstanding, brave woman and what a legacy.
I spent the first 16 yrs of my life
This is me filming outside Shotts prison where I was sent to. It has been said that I may be the first person in Scotland to be sent to prison without ever being interviewed by the police or a lawyer. Hopefully my harrowing story will be available to see this week.
Sexually abused children take on a whole new personality to survive.They wear a mask to hide the pain of who they really are.The only time they take off the mask is when they are with people they feel safe around. Let’s make Scotland a mask free country for our children.🏴
20 yrs ago I woke up with my pregnant wife dead in my arms. I lost her and the baby. I never had a great start in life that was destroyed by child abuse but you know what? I survived and I just know that I would have been a brilliant dad. Happy Father’s Day guys. Love your kids.
I still can’t believe that my tribute to Sinead O”Connor has been viewed over 500.000 times. The world really is taking notice and the voices are rising. This week I will be filming across Scotland for a podcast I am working on. We will be filming outside what used to be Nazareth
We just finished a week of filming all over Scotland documenting the story of my life and how the criminal justice system and the care system treats all those placed in residential care and how easy it for these people to be exploited and abused throughout their lives. This is
We have various banners ready to take to the streets of London or Dublin where people are gathering in protest of the way the Catholic church has treated survivors of child abuse for years.
Enough is enough.
The world is now watching and we will not be silenced anymore.
We
We have had these huge banners made and we are ready to March with survivors across the world. Our voices will be heard SURVIVORS UNITED. R.I.P. Sinead O”Connor.
Im always asked if anything has changed since I was homeless on the streets fifty yrs ago. In 1976 I was thrown out of the care system after spending the 1st 16yrs of my life locked up in care in Scotland. Within weeks I had the equivilent of a £100 a day
Most sex abuse survivors were abused before they had words to define it. They grow up running away from the confusion and the darkness and having to explain it to strangers. There is nothing worse than sitting with a so called trauma expert who says. Lets start from the begining.
When I was 16 I visited a doctor and told him I had been abused in care.He gave me a script that started 25yrs of addiction.2 weeks ago age 60 I went to a doctor and told him I was having flashbacks and he reached for his script pad. No I said, you people need to learn to listen.
Put the Kettle on. (This is an extract from my book)
Trigger warning.
Across the globe, survivors of clergy abuse are coming forward in their thousands. All over America and across Europe whisteblowers are exposing decades of child sex abuse, encouraging more and more victims
I bumped into this guy when I was walking down O'Connell Street in Dublin with my SURVIVORS FIRST banner in 2018. All the biggest child abuse campaign groups from all over the world were there, raising awareness of child abuse within the Catholic church, and to find myself in the
Following the horrific and tragic case of Amber Gibson in Scotland (please see my tweet July 27) Im organising a conference on how we deal with the subject of child sex abuse and how we treat victims and survivors in Scotland. Im going to invite politicians, academics, all those
What qualifies anyone to say what our abuse was worth?”
Happy to contribute to this story which so many people are trying to cover up and many of us have been trying to expose for a very long time.
People will be shocked at the eye watering amounts of
Many people ask me how I can be a Christian when I spent the first sixteen years of my life in care being abused by the Catholic Church and being trafficked all over Scotland and Ireland? Please read my poem on forgiveness. Dave. Truth over fear.
R.I.P. Amber. From the Care Experienced community in Scotland.🏴📷
Enough is enough is enough.
We may not know all the facts of Ambers horrific life and ending, but what we do know is the words of her foster parents who tell us that Amber was badly let down throughout
After spending my first sixteen years in the care system in Scotland suffering horrendous sex abuse during the sixties and seventies, I ran away to London and other places to escape the threats on my life by my abusers and I ended up homeless for years.
Scotland My Scotland.
An extraordinary emotional day standing outside the church yard where I slept when I was homeless as a sixteen year old almost fifty years ago in Camden Town. London. So many emotions and flashbacks.
It felt great to meet people especially homeless people
Severe Trigger warning..
Here it is. This is the first of 4 shows of the story of my life and how I ended up spending sixteen years in the care system right up to having false accusations made against me and ending up in prison. This was hard, not just for
EXTREME TRIGGER WARNING.
For all those people who have listened to the first part of my story and may have some doubts about what happened to me and many other boys in these awful places,this is the case study and summary of the Catholic Christian
In preperation for my next podcast I have been going over the various cases of child sex abuse and trafficking of children in Scotland that have reached the public domain but as in this case it got no further.
This is another disturbing case that it is
Please click on this link below and listen from the start to this man talking about the care system in Scotland. I have known Duncan Dunlop for almost ten years and he played a huge part in supporting me and many others fighting for change in
Ha anything really changed?
Next Tuesday the 19th I will be in London to visit some of the places I lived when I was homeless almost fifty years ago. I will be visiting the Museum of Homelessness our_MoH and also The Archway Methodist church in Camden.
At 5pm I will be
Ruby wax says it all on question time. There is an emergency going on right now and those of us who have mental health issues have been practicing this for years so it is almost like the world is joining us!!! Bang on. Welcome to our world.
Lets not beat about the bush here. These evil women were Catholic nuns from the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, the order which ran the home.
For the BBC to wash over this in this way is another example of how much influence the Catholic
On 26th July,on the 1st anniversary of the death of the child abuse survivor and campaigner and activist Sinead O”Connor , there will be a special outdoor screening of
@NCDocumentary
directed by
@Kath_Ferguson
in Dublin’s Merrion Square, organised by
@HappeningIRE
&
Warning.
Here is part one of my latest interview which goes into depth of the level of abuse I suffered in the Scottish child care system in the hands of the Catholic church, and the following twenty years running away from the threats of my abusers, into
@DaveAtherton20
Scroll down my tweets to 18/01/24 and 08/01/24. In Scotland EVERYTHING related to grooming gangs and child abused is covered up and anyone who speaks out is silenced, discredited and isolated and criminalised. I had false accusations made against me and even when the charges were
To all the warrior survivors of child sex abuse across the world who have fought so courageously to have their voices and the voices of the silenced heard,we salute you.
We will never forget all those children whose lives were taken or lost because of child sex abuse and we will
Im so afraid..
I feel alone, I feel so scared.
As child abuse is silenced as each death is declared.
As we lose our children in their prime.
All we hear is "now is not the time"
Each day as the suicides and the drug deaths rise.
Scotland is silenced by cover ups and lies.
Im
Have you read the recently released: A judicial Monstering by Advocate John Halley? I’ve just finished it. It not only completely blows apart any doubt about cover ups in the Scottish child abuse inquiry but the whole barbaric way that children in the care system in Scotland are
Extreme warning.
The Dark World.
The first time I entered the dark world was when I was twelve years old. When my best friend Joe who was in the bed next to me in the dormitories in the boys home disappeared.
The Catholic Christian Brothers told me they had murdered him and
Wee Woolie Haggies.
Rumours are emerging that the SNP Scottish government are so desperate for funding to fight the up and coming election (and probably any up and coming court cases) they have been working on this plan to reintroduce Haggis hunting back into Scotland, and
Please, please, please, click on this link above and listen from the start to this man talking about the care system in Scotland. I have known Duncan for almost ten years and he played a huge part in supporting me and many others fighting for change in
Sandbags at Dawn.
Of all the talents bestowed upon men and woman, none is so precious as the gift of oratory and free speach.
He who speaks his mind without fear or prejudice wields a power more durable than that of any political leader or a great king.
He who stands up for
@DaveAtherton20
@YvetteCooperMP
Its time the whole of the UK came together..The exact same thing has been happening in Scotland for years but whenever any one tries to speak up they are silenced..I did a tweet two days ago on the silence around the grooming gangs in Scotland and how I have been talking about
@KOBCOB2
Proverbs28: Warnings and Instructions. 🙏
For a government or a society to endure, it needs wise, informed leaders. Without them anarchy prevails.
What has happened to our country is we have turned our backs on God and we have to ask ourselves what kind of country are we
Who Really cares..
The silence of the people of Scotland to stick up for the most vulnarable people in Scotland is what killed Emma Caldwell. The inability of the people of Scotland to hold its politicians and police scotland accountable for the issues that really matter is what
@MikeIona
This is not about the SUN. This is about how the BBC goes out of its way to cover up sex abuse. What we are saying is that they need to show more clarity in making victims feel safer to come forward..
Its over twenty five years since I woke up with my pregnant wife Alice dead in my arms, after only being married for five weeks. Now, lying in my bed alone, I would still trade every day from that day till this, for one chance, just one last chance to wake up beside her and say
Just let Go..
So many people spend their whole lifes juggling balls to please other people or to fit in somewhere.
When they try and fit in they are often told. Forget your past. Just let go and join us in the moment. Its Christmas..
This is me in the moment...Happy
Proverbs28: Warnings and Instructions. 🙏
For a government or a society to endure, it needs wise, informed leaders. Without them anarchy prevails.
What has happened to Scotland is they have turned their backs on God and we have to ask ourselves what kind of country are we
Honest John on the campaign trail.
Wee Woolie Haggies.
Rumours are emerging that John Swinney and his SNP Scottish government are so desperate for funding to fight the up and coming election (and probably any up and coming court cases) they have already started working on
Proverbs28: Warnings and Instructions. 🙏
For a government or a society to endure, it needs wise, informed leaders. Without them anarchy prevails.
What has happened to our country is we have turned our backs on God and we have to ask ourselves what kind of country are we
@jk_rowling
I’ve spent all morning talking to survivors of child sex abuse who are too frightened to come up from under their covers in bed because they don’t believe what is happening with the Scottish criminal justice system.This is what we call the dark world. I must come up for air soon.
Child sex trafficking has been going on since the beginning of time. I was trafficked over to Ireland when I was a child in the 70s. The Maxwell trial has showed what can be achieved if survivors find the courage to come forward and speak out. Change is coming. SURVIVORS UNITED.
Im so afraid..
Im so afraid, I feel so scared.
As child abuse is silenced as each death is declared.
As we lose our children in their prime.
All we hear is "now is not the time"
Each day as the suicides and drug deaths rise.
Survivors are
End Clergy Abuse Across The World.
Enough is enough is enough.
We are saying to Pope Francis and the Vatican, you can jump on your fancy plane and travel all over the world to places like China, and Mongola, telling Catholics to be good Christians, and
In the words of Mary Glasgow
@margl43
of
@children1st
There are "no words" to cover the shock,horror and distress of these victims. The depth of trauma that the children in this case have suffered will be unimanigable to most of us..
Let me tell you as a
@LozzaFox
Proverbs28: Warnings and Instructions. 🙏
For a government or a society to endure, it needs wise, informed leaders. Without them anarchy prevails. What has happened to our country is we have turned our backs on God and we have to ask ourselves what kind of country are we
@TRobinsonNewEra
And no one in Scotland bats an eyelid, and when the survivors and campaigners come out to have their voices heard, they are silenced, discredited and criminalised. Read my latest tweet. The greatest weapon the authorities in Scotland have is the silence of the people of
And still no one gives a minutes thought about how this new hate bill will impact all those vulnerable victims and survivors of child abuse in Scotland who have been silenced, discredited and criminalised for years simply for trying to have their voices heard. This bill is going
@NicolaSturgeon
When this man says, I promise, be afraid. I’ve met John Swinney a few times as a survivor/ campaigner of historical child abuse. There are a number of times he has had to come out publicly and apologise to the child abuse community when he has been caught lying or broke a
Trauma informed is trauma aware, and trauma awareness demands a response, and a response will create a reaction where survivors of traumatic experiences will feel safe enough to open up old wounds and deal with the memories buried deep. Are you ready to deal with that? Are you?
@ccwild79
After spending my first sixteen years in the care system in Scotland suffering horrendous sex abuse during the sixties and seventies, I ran away to London to escape the threats on my life by my abusers and I ended up homeless for years. I saw children as young as
.
@AnasSarwar
The leader of the Scottish Labour party just said in in the Scottish Parliament that Journalist,victims and campaigners seeking to uncover injusticies in Scotland too often find themselves the victim of intimidation, and harrassment and being criminlised.
Put your children 1st.
If these anti this and anti that and pro this and pro that protests do go ahead in Glasgow we the child abuse survivors will be asking ALL the Unionists and ALL the Nationalists in Scotland, why you continue to turn your back on the victims and survivors
And still no one pulls up Nicola Sturgeon or John Swinney or anyone else from the SNP for breaking their commitment to
@ThePromiseScot
This is/was Scotlands last chance to make sure no child ever goes through the horrific sexual abuse many of us suffered in the care system and
Scottish Infected Blood Scandal.
Records Lost.
Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.
Records Lost.
Scottish Child Abuse Redress Scheme.
Records Lost.
Scottish Covid Inquiry.
Records Lost.
Scottish Post Office Scandal.
Records Lost.
Scottish Hospitals Inquiry.
Records Lost.
Just
This is series 3 of my story. The final episode will be out tomorrow. This will be followed by a live discussion on the current state of play as far as child sex abuse is reported in Scotland.
On the 23rd Feb at 1pm outside St Andrews Cathedral in Glasgow we will be holding a minutes silence to remember ALL the children of Scotland whose lives were taken or lost because of child abuse. We will light candles and have a piper playing Highland cathedral. Join us. S.A.F.E.
In my next podcast which I am doing next week with
@WaxWorxMusic
Mike, I must warn people that I want to start by taking people deep into the dark world of the orphanages. To do that we have to look at what an orphanage is.
An orphanage was/is a place where abandoned and
An amazingly emotional day in London. As ever whenever I do these campaigns the local homeless community are always there in minutes. I was able to share my testimony and tell people that the churchyard in the background was where I slept when I was homeless fifty years ago. 🙏
I love my new 8ftx10ft rug. Just in time for winter.
When you have spent years homeless, on the streets, its the small things like this that get you really emotional.
Ive lived in this flat for a few years now but I still sometimes get up during the night and walk around crying
For Christians, the Last Supper is a symbol of love, sacrifice, and communion. It is a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice and the hope that it brings to humanity.
One of the important moments of the Last Supper is Jesus, command to remember what He was about to do on behalf of all
@ripx4nutmeg
Meanwhile anyone who comes forward to say they were sexualy abused as children, will be silenced, discredited and criminalised...Scottish prisons are full of men and woman whose only crime was to try and have their voices heard..read my latest tweet..
@HumzaYousaf
Why have you completely ignored the ever increasing county line child abuse grooming gangs in Scotland? Those of us who have been following this and talk about the abuse are silenced and discredited. Anyone reading this, please read my tweet from a couple of days ago. On this
It’s so exhausting that whenever an ex judge, or a top lawyer, or an academic comes out and speaks about the disturbing way survivors of child abuse are treated in Scotland, and how it needs to change the way they deal with this issue,and how we got things wrong in the past, they
@drjanaway
@UKLabour
The saddest thing about this advert is that in Scotland there are more survivors of child sex abuse in prison than peodophiles. Every single politician should be concerned about that fact. It is now time to look at how the criminal justice system treats male and female survivors.
It’s twenty years since my wife died and I have never looked at another woman. Never will. She will always be my one and only valentine. RIP Alice. Forever in my heart.
On Tuesday I will be outside St Michaels church on
Camden Rd, London NW1 9LQ.
I will be there around 2/3 in the afternoon to set up a table with some candles on it, just like the one below.
Anyone is invited to come along and light a candle in memory of the lost children.
@FesterMakhno
@BBCMBuchanan
@BBCNews
I am always asked if anything has changed since I was kicked out of the care system fifty years ago and spending twenty years homeless after spending the first sixteen years of my life in care..Please read my tweet dated:july 10.
I will be doing a podcast with Brightons own
@WaxWorxMusic
Founder of Whistleblowers UTD. on Tuesday 9th which I hope will be out soon after.
Please follow Mike, himself a survivor with an incredible story of what happens when the adoption/fostering system fails children in
There are a lot of us who were brought up in the care system in Scotland who were seperated from, or lost our families and who have a wealth of knowledge and life experiences on the impact and consequences of such tragedys who are simply silenced,
Next week the Scottish child abuse inquiry will hear from some of the most vulnarable victims of abuse, former residents of approved schools, also known as List D schools, which started life in the nineteenth century as "Ragged Schools"
I spent a large
@TiceRichard
Proverbs28: Warnings and Instructions. 🙏
For a government or a society to endure, it needs wise, informed leaders. Without them anarchy prevails.
What has happened to our country is we have turned our backs on God and we have to ask ourselves what kind of country are we