User:Graham Wilmer MBE

Graham Wilmer MBE Graham Wilmer MBE was born in Bedford, England in 1951. His primary education showed him to be a promising pupil with a bright future, but his enrolment at a Salesian Catholic Grammar school put paid to all of that. At the age of 16, he disclosed to his headmaster that one of his teachers had been sexually abusing him for the previous two years, and he needed help. But, instead of helping him, the Salesian Order closed ranks, protected the teacher and swore Graham to silence. The psychological trauma and lack of support resulted in him failing all of his GCE ‘O’ level exams, and he was thrown out of the school. Neither his parents nor the police were told of the abuse. For many years afterwards, Graham suffered with mental health problems, but his natural talent as a writer enabled him to find work, and he went on to develop a successful career as an industrial journalist. In 1998, Graham, suffered a serious mental breakdown, caused by the re-emergence of memories of the abuse he had suffered as a child. Several years of therapy followed, during which time Graham, with the aid and support of his wife Barbara, established the Lantern Project, a support service for other victims of child abuse. Over time, Graham developed the charity into a nationally recognised organisation, which is now funded by the NHS, and is a partner agency with many other statutory organisations, including the Metropolitan Police Child Abuse Command. He has written several books on the subject of Child Abuse and its long-term impact, and in 2013, he was awarded an MBE for ‘Services to the victims and survivors of abuse’. Graham is also an advisor to the National Safeguarding Board of the Church of England the Methodist Church. Graham and Barbara have three grown up children and two grandchildren. They live in New Brighton in Wirral.

Graham's Story - A film by Rory Wilmer

Books by Graham Wilmer MBE

Conspiracy of Faith - Fighting for justice after child abuse.

Picking up the pieces - A survival guide for victims of sexual abuse.

Recovering from the impact of sexual abuse.

Campaigns involving Graham Wilmer MBE:

The commission for truth and reconciliation for victims of sexual abuse in the UK

The campaign for a public inquiry into abuse by clergy in the UK

The story behind Graham's book Conspiracy of Faith.

Graham's charity - The Lantern Project.