Abuse Survivor Jean submitted a Guest Posting where she told us her experiences of being lashed with stinging nettles and put into ice cold baths with her head held under the water until she gasped for air. This treatment allegedly carried out by her "carers."
Jean, we are told, contacted Jersey's only "news"paper the Jersey Evening Post before coming over to Jersey for her book signing in order to relate her story and publicise her book. Our only "news"paper got back to her saying that they weren't interested in running a story but Jean could "pay for an advert." Shortly after VFC broke the story Jean was again contacted by the JEP telling her they have had "a change of heart" and they now WILL run the story. Not sure if they have run the story because for moral and ethical reasons we refuse to buy it. But suspect if the Blogs (Jersey's only independent media) hadn't of run the story then NONE of the State Media would have.
BBC State Radio also run the story (after we broke it) and had Jean in as a live guest. Presenters of the show "Carrie and Sarah" asked listeners to contact the show with information about the little known Grouville Home For Girls. We did this by e-mailing a link to a wealth of information concerning the home, including photographs and public records, but the good old BBC wanted it kept a secret and refused to read the e-mail (below) out.
from: voiceforchildren voiceforchildren
to: bbc radio jersey
date: 26 April 2012 10:21
subject: Grouville girls home.
Carrie/Sarah.
Your listeners might be interested to know there is plenty of information concerning the Grouville Home For Girls here. http://voiceforchildren.
Team Voice.(end)
One can only speculate as to why they refused to read out the e-mail containing a link to a wealth of information concerning the Home but one chain of thought is that the BBC view the Jersey Bloggers as a threat.......and so they should (some might say).
As a follow-up to Jean's Guest posting we were able to conduct a short interview with her (below) to briefly discuss her book "Chair Borne To Heaven Borne" her reasons for writing it and so forth.
Amazingly Jean is not bitter about her childhood experiences and has been able to come out the other end relatively unscarred due to, in part, writing this book, and sharing her experiences. She wants to convey a positive message that good can come from bad and there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Although Jean believes the light at the end of the tunnel is Jesus there are those of us who believe a Committee Of Inquiry with a fit for purpose Terms Of Reference and outside intervention would suffice.