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Just a Child

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Just a Child

By: Sammy Woodhouse
Narrated by: Katy Sobey
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About this listen

The Sunday Times best seller.

Sammy Woodhouse was just 14 when she met Arshid Hussain. Ten years older, he promised to take care of her. Sammy thought she was in love, but in reality she was being groomed by a ringleader of Britain's most notorious child sex ring.

Just a Child tells the heartbreaking story of how a young girl from Rotherham was abused by her drug-dealing 'boyfriend', eventually giving birth to his baby, right under the nose of the very authorities who were meant to protect her. When reality dawned and Sammy realised she was one of countless vulnerable child victims - many of whom were trafficked around the north of England - she took it upon herself to blow the whistle and save others from a similar fate.

Thanks to Sammy's bravery, the gang was fully exposed, as well as the authorities that did little to help her. Her shocking account of how these events came to pass will enrage and sadden, but, above all, it will offer hope and show why this must never happen again.

©2018 Sammy Woodhouse (P)2018 Bonnier Publishing True Crime Inspiring Thought-Provoking Emotionally Gripping

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All stars
Most relevant  
this is a story of an amazing child/girl/woman with incredible strength to have endured what she has.

A story that really hit me

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while this is a truly impactful story, it's very monotone so can be draining... 'okay would be the word to describe. It has potential to be a lot better

mixed feeling

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This is not the first book about child abuse I’ve read recently and the question is always the same. What makes them tick? Why do they do it? Answer: Because they can and because they don’t like themselves very much and because they sense an opportunity to be more powerful outwardly then they’d ever be on the inside. That’s my opinion and it’s only a part of the answer. This is not the place to explore it though. This is where a book review should be written so here goes. Sammy Woodhouse was the architypal daughter from hell but was it her fault? Her book saays no and to some extent it wasn’t. Always rather arrogant as a child she fell in with a bad crowd and thought of it as normal because it seemed to be the status quo and being seen with a cool man who treated you as an adult is the aspiration and dream of every teenager. You can’t like her but you can understand her and that’s something. The book is powerful and positive but I wonderr, if somebody had said to her when she was fourteen that Ash was abusing her would she have believed them any more than anything else they said? I doubt it but at least it uncovered a huge coverup even though at least in my part of the world nothing much seems to have changed. This book is not for the faint-hearted though. It’s for the survivor and for the victim still unsure whether to ‘speak out’.

What makes them tick?

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Great story line gripping Details and sad to see how much of a life was lost

just a child

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I found the book very educational and in a way shocking. I hope that since it was written, justice has been achieved with regards to all social services/police forces who neglected their duties.
Though sometimes the written language appeared simple but it also made the book more realistic as we were listening to a story of a child. Would recommend to all parents.

Interesting insight

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I highly recommend this audio book, it's captivating from the start to finish and is a real eye opener when it comes to your children. she is a fantastic advocate for all children out there.

fantastic, what a brave young woman x

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This is the book to listen to when you want to know what grooming looks like and how easy it is to manipulate a child. we have to protect our children. Sammy is doing excellent work to change laws and help the future generations.

Excellent and Heartbreaking

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Sammy's story is one of horrendous, prolonged abuse, massively exacerbated by the indescribable complacency, and self serving deflections by professionals whose task was, and still is, supposedly to protect against such abuse. She, and hundreds of others, were let down so badly by those in authority that I personally do not have any trust left in any public agency in this area. All this happened in the area where I lived and worked. It could have been prevented, but still today, not enough has been done to deal with the cultures in which this depravity was allowed to thrive, and it could all so easily happen again, in fact it most probably already is! Sammy turned out to be astonishingly resilient when finally the forces in play fell in her favour. I don't doubt that a big part of the subsequent outcomes were down to Sammy's remarkable strength of character and determination to obtain justice. Her story is presented with honesty, transparency and humanity, qualities that were sadly largely absent from the actions of the various agencies that should have protected her, and who are yet to answer for what at best has been their gross incompetence and negligence, if not misconduct in a public office. Thank you, Sammy, for sharing your story!

Horrific abuse, horrendous coverups!

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I down loaded audible yesterday and received this (book) for free although I'd have been happy to pay for it . Honestly shocked and saddened by Sammy woodhouse's true life story 😭💔. It is so very sad and at the same time puts in to perspective real life of this day and age in the UK!!!!! Through her strength and sheer bravery. Child exploitation, grooming, rape, abuse, paedophile rings, the list goes on. Today she has helped 1000's come forward. Anyone who stands upto this I take my hat off to you it's a really brave thing to do as a survivor to help yourselves and stop it happening to others. A police, council and social services cover up for years. She met with the education board and asked that children be mandatory taught in school about grooming etc.... This takes effect this year because of her. She has asked that all taxi companies be fitted with cctv with audio systems as well as hotels, limousine's, take away shops and other various licenced premis. She is currently campaigning for "sammys law" where children who committed certain crimes while being groomed won't be convicted. Cleared of any conviction whilst commited under the instructions of their abuser. Hopefully more people come forward. Unbelievably she revived a letter last year from criminal injuries stating they blamed her for being abused!! She's fought back and started a campaign against them also so that victims don't get blamed and are compensated accordingly and that their staff get the proper training. Criminal injuries have now changed some of their policies because of this. Rotherham authorities are a fucking disgrace and decided no individual would be punished for continuously failing but that it was simply "just a cock up" which again she is campaigning against for survivors where professional's are punished for their shit reporting and to be made compulsory. The work this woman has and is still doing to train police, social workers is outstanding. It's really opened my eyes to how the country is changing. Out of the 54 girls that came forward out of approximately 1400 cases she got the biggest ever case brought to court in the UK at the time (This being only a year back). For her case alone of 5 charges this monster received 35 years in prison. Between the 5 of them up to court they got over 100 years. It's never enough in my eyes. A child is a child, this started when she was just 13 years old and she was pregnant twice by him and giving birth to her son at 14 or 15 years old while he was around 26 years old!. It is a heartbreaking story to listen to but I have listened to all 8 hours now. It is unbelievable how a child's mind can see things so differently that she though he was her boyfriend, they were in love, authorities knew they were in a sexual relationship and did nothing to help her parents. It took her years to see what he had done and to come forward. Hopefully she can help many more people come forward. It has really made me realise how naive I am. I am now going to follow and support her campaigning and hope that all of the laws she seeks come in to practice. Love and the best of happiness to you and your family moving forward I'm so touched by your story. Xxxx #sammyslaw

outstanding bravery by this woman.

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Highly recommend this book to children and adults. Great awareness we all need to know about

Fantastic

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