© By Sophie Lewis | The Grooming Files | @sophielewiseditorial

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You didn’t leave your name. You didn’t need to.

Your words said everything. They carried the weight of a stolen childhood, the betrayal of someone meant to protect you, and the ache of a justice system that called your truth “not enough.” And now, I’m writing this — not to tell your story, but to honour you.

You said you just wanted to be heard without anyone knowing who you were.

I hear you. Loudly. Clearly. Completely.

What was done to you was abuse. It was wrong. And you should never have had to prove your pain to a room full of strangers — let alone be told by a jury that a man saying “she wanted it” about a little girl wasn’t enough to convict him. That’s not justice. That’s institutional failure. That’s a wound that doesn’t just scar — it festers.

I cannot undo what happened. But I can say this:

You matter.
You were failed, not forgotten.
You are still here, still standing, even when it hurts.
That is power.

I know your adult life has been a struggle — I read your words. I felt every sentence. The medication, the sleepless nights, the therapy that didn’t reach deep enough. The ache of knowing he walks free, in a relationship, around children. The fury. The helplessness. The fear. It’s not fair — and it never will be. But it is real. And so are you.

You are more than a survivor — you are a truth-holder. A quiet warrior. And by sharing your story — even anonymously — you broke a silence that so many never do. That takes strength most people wouldn’t survive.

And so this space will hold your story, just like it holds you.
No spotlight. No pressure. Just truth — and a quiet promise that you are not alone.

Thank you for trusting me with your pain.
Thank you for speaking up in your own way.
Thank you for surviving.

You are heard. You are believed. You are not forgotten.

With fierce respect,
Sophie
The Grooming Files

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