This book is for all the children whose voices are not being heard ...

I am writing on behalf of a 14 year old girl called Lottie* who is based in England and loves sports, animals and dreams of being a vet. A 14 year old girl who, at first glance, seems like so many others, filled with the excitement of the life ahead of her. But tragically, for Lottie, life up to this point has been anything but rosy.

As a 5-year old, her life should have been carefree and fun. However, it was at this age that her childhood ended when her father took on a duplicitous role by sexually abusing her. After 3 years of suffering in silence, at the age of 8, she spoke out at school, finally telling someone what was going on, and not long afterwards the police and social services removed her father from the family home.

'Hurrah!’ you might say. Lottie should have then had the chance to begin to heal and recover in a safe, loving environment. But little did the family know they would encounter another 'abuser' in the form of the Family Courts. The Courts have allowed her father, who has decades of experience in family law, to manipulate the truth, control them and ruin her education - effectively keeping them 'imprisoned' in the family home where they continue to feel unsafe, unsettled and live in fear.

Lottie lives with her two older brothers, one who is autistic, and both have also been affected by their father's behaviour towards them and the family.

Although Lottie has spoken to numerous professionals over the last few years, no-one has actually listened and stepped in to help her and the family. This has led to her hiding herself always from others and the cruelty she sees in the world and, heartbreakingly, to her self-harming. In order to break this cycle, she has decided, by her own volition, to write a novel based on her experiences. She hopes her testimony will help other youngsters in similar situations, letting them know and understand they are not alone and they are being heard. She also wants to create a platform to shine a spotlight on this taboo subject.

To that end she is looking for funding to help with the project. Her ancient iPad with a cracked screen is not very conducive to writing, so she would like a suitable replacement for writing. There is also the cost of a trauma informed freelance writing consultant (already working with Lottie), copy editor, possibly a book cover designer, and any other costs required to get it ready to be published and marketed.

The family finances have been drained with the ongoing court costs and lack of maintenance payments for the children. Her mother is the most amazing, hardworking person I know, and fights tirelessly to protect her kids, but the constant legal battles and the preparation they require severely limit her ability to work full time.

If published, 10% of the profits will be going to a local charity who help sexually abused children, a charity which has been a real lifeline to Lottie. It cannot be named for geographically identification purposes.

Lottie is an incredibly brave young lady who, despite enduring so much for so long, is passionate about using her experience to bring about change. She wants to see that her living hell can have a positive, beneficial outcome as well as giving a voice to her and other children in a similar situation.

This is a story of courage, resilience, and hope — please donate to help this young girl inspire and heal through her words.

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Thank you

* all names have been changed for protection