Charles Spencer Opens Up About Being Sexually Abused in Boarding School | Lorraine

In a devastating new book, Charles Spencer speaks for the first time about the bullying and physical and sexual assault he suffered at boarding school. He'll talk about feeling abandoned at eight years old when he started at Maidwell Hall, why he felt like he couldn't speak out at the time, and why it took him until his 40s to fully understand the damage of his experience - and why he now wants to help others.

Broadcast on 11/03/24

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[JenShea]

It breaks your heart to know any child was ever abused. To think of the tens of thousands who will never be able to tell their stories. This is a brave thing to do.

[geraldinehiggins]

Something so genuine about this gentleman. A hard listen. Wishing him peace and love from here on in.

[georgina]

He has courage wishing Earl Spencer all the best.

[jita]

It’s an emotional abandonment that scars one for life

[rinastadler]

I am crying for you, Charles Spencer. God bless!

[outoforbit]

So sorry to hear about this evil abuse inflicted on an innocent child.

[jlrpotlock]

Those poor Spencer kids all had terrible childhoods. 💔 Earl Spencer is a brave man!

[lauralott]

Our neighbor sent his son to boarding school at age 8 yrs old. His first letter home was to ask if his parents could send his teddy to him. I always thought that practice was SO barbaric!! It is abandonment by the parents. That alone would cause issues, but to have to endure cold, callous, abusers in addition is just horrendous. Charles Spencer has done many others a huge service in acknowledging and talking openly about this.

[innernouter]

To think that so many of these psychologically damaged kids from these schools end up in positions of power and in government is a scarey thought. It actually explains a lot.

[Nobody-dpxo]

Well done on talking about it, i hope you find peace.

[tompommerel]

FABULOUS that Earl Spencer has been able to deal with the inevitable complexity and pain of his past to such an extent to finally be able to TELL THE TRUTH. SUCH COURAGE IS RARE TODAY. My compassion reaches out to this wounded but BRAVE SURVIVOR!

[Threadbow]

I can remember a friend crying and running away to stop being taken to boarding school at that age.
Never forget it.

[silentnight]

I can only imagine how that other kid, that he mentioned, felt, my gran took me to school on my first day. I recall looking out the window and saw her breezing back up the hill without me. She returned at 2.45. Phew!
How awful to be dumped at a boarding school without even knowing at age eight.

[thecalmingspace]

I've always liked Earl Spencer. God bless you sir.

[StarLight-slok]

As a kid I always wished to go away to boarding school, sounded like a dream life. Now that all these horror stories are coming out I’m so glad this wasn’t my life. My heart breaks for these victims, I hope they can heal from this trauma.

[daisyq]

I am so glad he is letting this out. He gets it out of his system and can help others.

[Evie]

Bless him for coming forward, as a victim of CSA I feel proud of him for speaking out. It affects every relationship in life and kills a part of us off 😢. I deeply feel so much of what he is saying 😢. Such a beautiful soul opening up and writing about his experiences and I hope it will help others.

[upendasana]

Well done him speaking out.I once sat beside a woman from Equador on a flight to America who worked for the Spencers and she said they were amazing people who did so much for charity and good works.He obviously has a real affinity for the underdog and those who maybe in vulnerable circumstances, I now see that this is probably based in his own personal experiences.

[christinacampbell]

Brave man and this should help so many others and raise awareness!

[OMGitsShrimp]

Wow. Good for him speaking up. It’s hard, especially for male victims, to talk about these things publicly.