Abused: The Untold Story

(BBC, 2016)

"A long, unflinching stare at the far-reaching effects of child abuse."  The Times

The revelations about Jimmy Savile in October 2012 caused national outrage and widespread soul-searching. Fundamental questions were asked about how a predatory paedophile could have hidden not just in plain sight, but in the spotlight of national fame for five decades, and escaped justice in the process.

But the revelations about Savile did much more than just unmask a prolific sexual predator. The truth about the once-loved celebrity was the key that unlocked the secrets of thousands of victims of sexual abuse, secrets that been hidden for decades from husbands, wives and children. The realisation that they were not alone led many to speak out and begin to confront the truth about how their experience had shaped their lives, and led many to seek justice and recognition for the abuse they had suffered.

This feature length film tells the dramatic story of how the Savile revelations unfurled across the nation, and how it impacted on institutions, families and our whole understanding of child sexual abuse.

Watch the full film below.

PRESS

"Given the drip-feed of revelations about Savile, I was surprised at just how shocking Lambert's documentary was. By methodically weaving various perspectives on events since 2011 with the stories of victims and their partners, this offered something deeper: a long, unflinching stare at the far-reaching effects of child abuse." The Times

"You might think you've heard all you want to hear about disgraced DJ Jimmy Savile and his catalogue of sexual abuse. But this impeccably constructed documentary gives voices to those at the heart of the shameful saga: Savile's victims." Metro

"This programme didn't allow itself any hint of resolution; judiciously and soberingly, it suggested the act of telling was only the beginning of our collective redemption." The Independent

"This was a documentary that boiled with fear and pain. The victims' testimony illustrated the horror and corrosive shame of being abused, more often than not in childhood. The pain held secretly inside, infecting lives and relationships long into adulthood." Daily Telegraph

CREDITS

Producer: Katherine Anstey

Film Editor: Christopher Swayne 

Composer: Mat Davidson

Executive Producer: Colin Barr

Lighting Camera: Will Edwards, Johann Perry 

Additional Editing: Ben Brown

Produced by Minnow Films