Speaking as a victim, I thought it was going to be my word against him. I was scared of the impending court case up in Grimsby. I didn't want to get involved but the police were very supportive.
And then other victims came forward, I was shocked that it was close friends and friends from school, I was distressed to the point of suicide but manage to compose myself and go to court. I never took the stand. My statement and others helped put him away without a word in person from us. This was all going on with the threat of a News of the World exposure from the then girlfriend. She threatened me and my friend with letters and so on and was herself prosecuted by the police - still she never believed.
Its taken me about 20 years to come to terms with it. I now look at it coldly, no emotion anymore. there is no hate, no anger, just an emptiness. I dont like the term survivor, I'm still a victim, isolated as each case is different. Each perpetrator has their own excuses but they are all the same, cowards.
I feel strongly for other victims, recent news stories has brought it all back like a brick to the head. I cant escape, I hate the people involved, I feel anger towards them, hate, murder, yet towards my own perpetrator, still nothing. I can understand the high emotion involved with wanting to expose these people.
Just a word from the other side of the fence as it were.
*just to finish off, I consider myself damn lucky that I am still around. I accept each day as it is, new and full of potential, even if its just a 'nice' day, I am happy. And I am very grateful to have met my missus.