A CHILDHOOD sexual abuse survivor has put her foot forward to raise over £1,500 to thank the Coventry charity which aided her recovery.
Jade O’Driscoll, who was sexually abused by a family member aged just three years old, braved the Warwick Half Marathon on Sunday to support the Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC).
She crossed the finish line after two hours, 12 minutes and 51 seconds.
After suffering her abuse, Jade struggled for over twenty years to come to terms with what happened to her.
She was beginning to develop symptoms of delayed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) including vivid recollections, flashbacks and nightmares.
After reaching out to CRASAC, they gave her long-term one-to-one counselling and group therapy sessions.
She also had access to an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor.
She said she braved the run to support the life-changing work CRASAC does and encouraged others suffering in silence to reach out.
She added: “I’d like to thank everyone who has donated, I am over the moon with the amount I have raised and I had so much fun completing the race.
“Before receiving support from CRASAC my mental health was at an all-time low.
“Although I had reached out to my University for support they were only able to offer me six sessions of counselling, which I came out worse from as it opened the wound up and then left me to deal with the pain alone.
“The support I had through CRASAC has been invaluable- without them, I am sure I would still be struggling today.”
The charity is the only service in the city offering counselling and advocacy support to those who have been impacted by sexual violence and abuse.
An estimated one in five children in the UK have been sexually abused with a third of overall police-recorded sexual offences against children.
Visit crasac.enthuse.com/pf/jadehalfmarathon to donate.
