Cassie was only thirteen when her mother died of a degenerative illness, leaving her vulnerable to sexual predators in the Halifax area who had been grooming her since the age of eleven. She fell through the net of the care system and reached out for friendship, only to be consumed by an escalating spiral of abuse.
This harrowing and truly shocking story captures in vivid detail how gangs of men were able to ply a child with drink and drugs, then rape her and pass her around their associates with no one seemingly able to step in and prevent it. Cassie was lost in a world of appalling degradation for years before a local policeman and caring social worker became instrumental in helping her to escape and rebuild her life. In 2016, the largest case of child sexual exploitation ever brought to trial at that time in the UK resulted in the conviction of 17 men. Since Cassie's abusers were jailed, child safeguarding policies have improved so that vulnerable children like Cassie should never again fall through the net and become prey. Cassie was born in Halifax in 1995. From a very young age she was a carer to her mother, who suffered from Huntington's Disease and died when Cassie was thirteen. Despite her traumatic experiences as an abused child, Cassie has rebuilt her life far away from the location where the crimes against her were committed. She was praised by the police, the judge and numerous authorities for her immense courage and bravery in bringing her abusers to justice. At 23, she is now the devoted mother of two children. She is committed to fighting child abuse and finding joy in the everyday things we can so easily take for granted. She thought they were her friends. She was too young to know she was in fact their PREY Cassie was the sole witness, at the age of 20, in a massive trial that saw 17 men from the Halifax area jailed in 2016 for child sexual exploitation. At the time, they were handed the longest sentences ever given out for the crime. Cassie's courage and bravery were commended by police and the judge. Cassie's case highlighted serious failings in child protection and, as a result, a Serious Case Review was written by the local Safeguarding Children Board. Policy was changed as a result. Book will contain a chapter written by a child protection expert on how to spot signs of CSE (Child Sexual Exploitation). Cassie is happy to undertake publicity, although her identity must be disguised. 'Cassie Pike' is a pseudonym.
