Chloe Hadjimatheou

They exchange a few bland pleasantries and then he says, this man smiles and he leans over and he says something like, now I remember you. You were the one fucking that chemistry teacher, Miss Bowen. And then he delivers a line that's stuck in Gareth's head.

Gareth sat on that Northern Line train, glued to his seat in shock. Just tell me, when he said that to you, you weren't, you're not the only one.

Gareth sat on that Northern Line train, glued to his seat in shock. Just tell me, when he said that to you, you weren't, you're not the only one.

Mm-hm.

Mm-hm.

Where was the hurt coming from? Was it that she'd betrayed you? Was it that you weren't the special one?

Where was the hurt coming from? Was it that she'd betrayed you? Was it that you weren't the special one?

Lots of victims of child sexual abuse are under the illusion that they instigated or chose the relationship. Or in Gareth's case, that because he physically enjoyed it, it wasn't abusive. And often, years later, there's a realisation that there was a power imbalance. And that's the moment when the fact that they were used begins to dawn on them. For Gareth, it's an agonising new reality.

Lots of victims of child sexual abuse are under the illusion that they instigated or chose the relationship. Or in Gareth's case, that because he physically enjoyed it, it wasn't abusive. And often, years later, there's a realisation that there was a power imbalance. And that's the moment when the fact that they were used begins to dawn on them. For Gareth, it's an agonising new reality.

Because ever since that chance encounter on the tube train, he's wondered, are there other boys like him? Other lucky boys who've spent a lifetime figuring out just how unlucky they really were? For me, it gets to the heart of why this story matters. We know from Gareth that he's a casualty of abuse and of a school that refused to treat him as a victim of anything other than his own mischief.

Because ever since that chance encounter on the tube train, he's wondered, are there other boys like him? Other lucky boys who've spent a lifetime figuring out just how unlucky they really were? For me, it gets to the heart of why this story matters. We know from Gareth that he's a casualty of abuse and of a school that refused to treat him as a victim of anything other than his own mischief.

But if the school's actions enabled Miss Bowen to continue abusing, well, that's a bigger story altogether. If there are others, how many are we talking? Can they be tracked down? And if I find them, might they be willing to finally give Gareth the corroboration he's been searching for? I'm Chloe Hajimotho, and from Tortoise, this is Lucky Boy. Episode 4, The Lucky Boys.

But if the school's actions enabled Miss Bowen to continue abusing, well, that's a bigger story altogether. If there are others, how many are we talking? Can they be tracked down? And if I find them, might they be willing to finally give Gareth the corroboration he's been searching for? I'm Chloe Hajimotho, and from Tortoise, this is Lucky Boy. Episode 4, The Lucky Boys.

In 2020, when Gareth gets that call telling him the authorities won't be pressing charges against Miss Bowen, he's gutted.

In 2020, when Gareth gets that call telling him the authorities won't be pressing charges against Miss Bowen, he's gutted.

What would you say to her?

What would you say to her?

I don't know.

I don't know.

The thing with Gareth is his mental health issues mean he can't hold down a job. So he has loads of time on his hands to think about his next steps. And as far as he's concerned, the police dropping the case, it isn't the end of the story.