Familial abuse survivor seeks to help others through writing

A woman who was raped by her father as a teenager says she is committed to helping others - both young and old - who have suffered abuse from relatives.

Carol Higgins was repeatedly sexually abused by Elliott Appleyard in the 1980s while she grew up in Denby Dale, West Yorkshire. He was jailed in 2019.

Now aged 54, she is writing about her experiences in the hope that others facing similar trauma can be supported.

"What happened to me can't be in vain," Ms Higgins, from Ackworth, said.

During his nine-day trial, the jury heard Ms Higgins, who waived her right to anonymity, was taken to a tattoo parlour by Appleyard to have a declaration of love inked on her shoulder.

Ms Higgins, now a youth worker, said she first went to police in 1985 and waited 34 years for a conviction.

Appleyard was found guilty of 15 sexual offences in total and was given a 20-year sentence at Leeds Crown Court.

"I thought what was happening at the time was normal," she said.

In the victim impact statement read out to the court at sentencing, Ms Higgins said she would rather have been raped on the street "because at least then I'd have had my family to support me".

The mother of two said she found solace in literature after her abuse, adding: "My therapy and the books I've read to try to heal have given me the strength and courage to speak up about it."

Ms Higgins, who left school with no qualifications, started writing as a form of therapy and later self published books about her experiences in a bid to help others.

If you are affected by any of the issues in this article you can find details of organisations that can help via the BBC Action Line.

She has released her second book, focusing on the court trial, on Sunday.

"People are coming back to me telling me saying how brave I am and telling me their stories," she said.

"Instead of it being ignored and underground, there's lots of shadows surrounding it and it needs to be brought to light so voices can be heard and to reduce the amount of suffering."

In recent years, Ms Higgins, a self-confessed "adrenaline junkie", has recovered from cancer and accomplished an ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro.

"It makes me feel sad when I hear people have experienced what I've experienced, but hopefully I can give them the right tools and encouragement they need to get support and try to heal from it," she added.

A civil case against West Yorkshire Police was brought by Ms Higgins regarding the handling of the case, with the force unable to comment "due to ongoing legal proceedings".

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