The onetime Red Devils stalwart made the disclosure that he was assaulted by his schoolteacher
Former Manchester United star Patrice Evra has revealed that he was sexually abused in his youth.
The onetime Red Devils and France left-back reveals in his new autobiography that he was assaulted as a 13-year-old by his schoolteacher
The 40-year-old admitted that he had yet to tell several of his family members and friends – but said that he has come forward now to help other young victims like himself.
What has been said?
“I’ll be honest with you, when I first did the book, I didn’t tell the whole story because I was still ashamed and scared about what people will think,” Evra told The Times.
“Now I want to say it because I don’t want kids to be in my situation and they are ashamed of themselves, thinking they are not brave, because it’s not about being brave, it’s about being mentally ready to talk about it.
“So I just want to make sure kids out there have the courage and do not blame themselves, because I always blamed myself. I’m not shy to say I felt like a coward for many years because I never speak up. It was something heavy in my chest. But I don’t do it for me, I do it for other children.”
Evra reflects on opening up
Elsewhere, the former Monaco man – who acknowledged he was approached by police during his time at the Ligue 1 club, aged 24, to discuss the matter – touched on the impact his revelation had on his mother.
“Of course, she was devastated,” he added. “It was a tough moment for me. I have still to tell a few of my brothers and sisters and close friends.
“I don’t want people to feel pity. It’s a difficult situation. A mother does not expect to hear this from their own child. She felt something [was wrong] and had asked me why I did not want to sleep in the teacher’s house.
“Only now when I am 40 years old do I tell her. The first thing my mum says is, ‘if you don’t sue him, I’ll sue him. If he’s still alive, I’m going to kill him.’
“There is a lot of rage. I know my mum and people from my family will do research and see if they can sue. But I buried this thing so deep I didn’t think about [prosecution].”
Further reading
Source: Source: Goal
