Jade's Story

Names and other details have been changed to protect identities.

‘Jade’

When I was 6, my dad was taken away from our house. My mum was an alcoholic with depression, and I know she took drugs too.

My brothers and sisters were sent to live with other members of our family and I have never been home since. I was moved around a lot and stayed with different people. When I was 15 I stopped seeing my mum completely and was taken into care.

I was always in trouble – running away, drinking, taking drugs. I stole things too so I could get money. Me and my mates would ask random blokes to buy us cigarettes or vodka. Whatever we could get.

I started to hurt myself. I hated my life. I would cut my arms or take lots of painkillers.

Me and my mates hung around with blokes that were older than us and I slept with some of them, even though I didn’t really want to. Even though I was only 15, groups of older blokes would still try and get me and my mates to go back to hotel rooms with them. If they bought us drinks, then we would a lot of the time. When I was drunk I never really thought about what I was doing.

I told the police about a guy who attacked me once. I got a lot of stick from my mates and other guys for doing this.

A social worker is helping me now. I actually really like her. She answers her phone to me, even when I ring really early or late.

My criminal record means that I can’t become a police officer or social worker like I wanted. But I am trying hard at college now and have done some volunteering for young people.

“I want other young girls to know that they need to be careful. What happened to me could easily happen to you.”

Jade is an articulate young girl who is working hard to turn her life around. She is now at college working towards a childcare qualification.