“Thirteen years, I thought. It was one year for every year of my life he had taken.”

Such was Sharon McGovern’s first reflection when the jury finally convicted the man who had abused and tormented her, casting a shadow over so much of her life. Raped at the age of ten, Sharon hid away her fear and pain for much of her life until finally, a unique opportunity to seek justice presented itself. Some forty years later, Sharon took the brave step to face her abuser in the dock, eye to eye, and see that he was put away.

Sharon is a true survivor – someone who has faced unimaginable abuse only to triumph over it and create a positive life for herself; she now acts as a spokesperson for abuse victims and has become an advisor to social services on how to help victims testify against their abusers.

Sharon McGovern’s profile and books