Hello from Luxembourg.

Well…I made it, on time too, despite Yvonne’s best attempts to keep me and Mojo living in Reims… She broke down next to a canal in what we began to refer to as the ‘Bum hole’, as for the entire three days we were trapped there, creepy men walked up and down the road looking in at us before disappearing into bushes, to do things with each other…Live and let live…

With every failed attempt to get her started, I could feel the tension in my shoulders winding up. I needed to get walking, but I couldn’t without somewhere to sleep after 35 miles (60km)…Mojo was only meant to be the diver for a few weeks but (for various reasons) he’s staying out for another month. We didn’t know about this when I left London. With his birthday on Thursday, we thought it’d be only fair for him to fly home while I’m in Luxembourg, so his flight was booked from here on Friday at 5pm, giving me a definite deadline. I really needed to get on the road…

We spent three days walking around all the garages and Ford parts suppliers in Reims, being quoted as much as 550 euros to get us out of the Bum hole. We eventually only spent 50 euro getting her toed to a garage, before looking online to find the parts we needed for only another 50…Mojo then took the old starter-motor apart and reconditioned it to get us to Luxembourg. He’ll bring the new one back with him and fit it before I start walking to Brussels on Thursday. Let’s hear it for Mojo!

Tuesday morning, we were finally on the road again but the holdup meant I now had to walk 113 miles in 3 and a half days. I normally won’t walk more than 25 miles a day but, having walked 39 miles on Wednesday, the regular pace seems relatively no bad now…So, grateful for everything Mojo has done for me this month (and for the past 30 years…) I hit the road and didn’t look back. He made it to his flight on time and is now at home in Glasgow, celebrating his belated birthday with his girlfriend, as you read this

First impressions of Luxembourg:

The second you cross the border you know you’re not in France anymore. (Toto) Not just because the place names suddenly become longer and more Germanic looking (but equally as unpronounceable to me as the French villages…) the road surfaces are noticeably smoother and the streets are very clean and well maintained. I’m not fully aware of the economics but it certainly appears to be a very financially comfortable county. The architecture consciously embraces the old and the new and they seem very proud of both. Almost every house is a different pastel or autumn colour. Looking up one cul-de-sac as I passed, it reminded me of the Avon ladies’ street in Edward Scissor Hands.  It is a very nice place to walk.

A few months back, I gave a talk at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and a lecturer there, Carole Williams, asked me if I needed contacts in Luxembourg. Of all the places I’ll visit on the Road to Change, this 500,000 population nation was one where I really knew no one. She put me in touch with a family here and they have been just wonderful in making me feel very welcome, and also helping to set up events and meetings with very influential people here in Luxembourg.

Jacqueline Fleming (Jac), an old colleague of Carole’s, has been following my progress since the beginning. Her son Robi is a survivor and his case illiterates exactly why the ‘Statute of Limitations’ needs reform. Robi’s abuser is still free and able to work with children, despite a huge number of men disclosing that they were abused by this same man when they were children. Jac recently went to the police and made a full statement but as Robi is now older than 28, no charges can be brought against the man. Robbie created the facebook page ‘Bring Leslie Woodhall to justice’ https://www.facebook.com/BringLeslieWoodhallToJustice?fref=ts please follow this link and LIKE Robi’s page. It sparked a further wave of men coming forward and admitting they were also abused by Leslie and don’t worry, there is no danger of slander here because when Robi confronted Leslie, in front of Jac and another witness, Leslie promised he had changed his ways. Robi also has an ‘apology’ letter from him. This man is a known child sex offender here but no one who knows what he’s capable of is in a position to stop him because the Statute of limitations. Children are at risk and the law is preventing anything from being done. It’s beyond maddening.

Jac’s daughter Miriam kindly set up an appointment for me at the Ministry of Justice. I felt deeply honoured and at the same time, aware of the responsibility that comes with this unique opportunity to discuss ‘Justice’ with the actual Justice Minister of Luxembourg  (Who lives on Miriam’s street). The meeting went well. I met Madam Modert with her assistant and an advisor, sitting opposite me around a large table in a very official boardroom. I began by explaining how I came to be the European Ambassador for ‘Stop the Silence: Stop Child Sexual Abuse, Inc’ and gave her some materials about Stop the Silence and the Road to Change. She seemed genuinely surprised at the facts listed on my flyers, ‘1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused in Europe before the age of 18’, (notice it says ‘will be’ not ‘have been’)and she immediately asked where I found this information. I was able to regretfully confirm these are in fact the official international statistics published by the World Health Organisation. A child is sexual abused every 30 seconds, not just in Africa or in some far off war torn nation but across the beautiful cities in the EU too…Fact.

I admitted that I was honestly trying to be sensitive and respectful to their culture and traditions, as I don’t imagine anyone appreciates a foreigner coming in and making suggestions about how they should run their country. My mission is simply to Stop the Silence and, in doing so, encourage discussion of areas where children are in immediate danger (and where survivors are suffering without support). I think she gathered that I am not (nor have any desire to be) a politician but she very graciously heard me out. Before the meeting ended, she gave me a list of organisations here in Luxembourg who she suggested I should speak with and then we discussed the problem with the statute of limitations. Her concern was evident and she mentioned that there are new directives under consideration here which may well bring about the required change very soon. She was also very kind in advising me on a number of other international agencies who deal with global policy that I should visit in other countries as I arrive there. All round, a positive and productive encounter and I am deeply grateful to her for meeting me and to Miriam for arranging the appointment.

Leaving the Justice Ministry building, I received a call from her advisor, telling me that they’d already been on the phone to the Ministry for Families and Integration, and told me to get over there for another meeting. I was amazed that this was happening but got moving and shortly arrived at the second government building. The front desk there had no idea who I was or what I was talking about but one phone call later, I was in the elevator on my way up. It’s quite unnerving being in these lifts. I had no idea before but evidently elevators in government buildings don’t have any buttons. Your movements around the building are controlled by the front desk. Anyhoo…

I was greeted there by the warm Mr Claud Janizzi and we spoke for half an hour about the weather Luxembourg and Scotland but I was adamant that I wanted to make him aware of the situation regarding Robi’s offender. I don’t think it’s my place to get involved in individual cases but when children are at risk I’m willing to forgo any politeness. When I explained that Jac had already tried to make a report to the Police and that the man is still free and working with children, he said something should and must be done. True. I will follow up on progress with this situation but I truly hope something will change here for Robi and all the victims of this man, and hopefully not fall quiet again creating more future victims.

Mr Janizzi also gave me a list of organisations who work in child protection and survivor healing and I suddenly noticed there is no service here for male survivors. There are however services specifically for women. I explained that when I attended the Male Survivor Conference in New York last November, I met men from all over the world who travelled to New York as their own country had no services for male survivors. He was very interested in this and I watched him add ‘Male survivor service’ to the agenda for the next planning meeting. I’ll keep an eye on what happens with this too…

He then told me that representatives from all the Luxembourg child protection agencies will be gathering on Wednesday to discuss a number of issues (now including the need for a male survivor service…) and he invited me to attend and give a presentation to all these key individuals. They are to submit a report to the UN and he feels the Road to Change is a project they should hear about.

I am truly grateful again for his time and delight that he will be giving his attention to the situation regarding Robi’s offender. Quite a day really, but didn’t stop there…

Miriam and her husband David have been incredibly helpful in a number of ways. She organised a screening of ‘To kill a Kelpie’, found and filled a perfect wee venue and they even covered the cost of hiring it. Truly kind people. She must get it from her mum, as Jac is a legend. I’m inspired by her ability to just change on. Jac took me to a concert of Irish Music and Dance on Saturday night because she knew it would be a good place for me to meet people. She was right. I met the wife of the Irish Ambassador, who has since arranged for me to meet Luxembourg’s British Ambassador tomorrow. I then heard a Scottish voice and introduced myself to Margaret Lupo, who then came to the screening tonight with her lovely family and has invited me to her home for a Scottish-ish breakfast tomorrow too. Margaret has also arranged and interview with a press journalist. Jac did that too of course, she introduced me to a gentleman at the Irish gig who took my picture and I found out tonight that I was in the English language section of the nation news paper today. I also received an email, thanks to Jac, inviting me onto the radio for a 20 minute interview, which we’re squeezing in on Wednesday after the presentation at the Ministry for Families and before I head of to spend time with Viviane Metz, a survivor who created a website to encourage and support other survivors to speak. https://www.facebook.com/pages/G%C3%A9int-physesch-psychesch-an-sexualis%C3%A9iert-Gewalt-u-Kanner/154522601281600 Viviane too has invited me to her home but already bought me Lunch and brought her husband to the screening tonight.

If that seemed like a lot of information and names to remember then welcome to my world…

After the screening tonight I was deeply moved by one ladies response. She told me that I have inspired her to finally take action against her offender.  Many people feel they are simply not strong enough to go through the whole legal process of bringing their abuser to justice. I always ask them if they think they’re stronger than the child their abuser might molest tomorrow. This lady now feels it’s time to do something. I’m really pleased the film and my talk afterwards could evoke such a significant decision in anyone’s life. I asked her to keep in touch and told her if she needs any support we can help her find it.

On top of all that, the audience tonight donated 230 euro to the Road to Change. Luxembourg, you’ve set the bar pretty high for other countries. Everyone I’ve met here is just so kind and helpful, and they all seem to know everyone.

Miriam’s husband David arranged for me to have a private tour of the Parliament building yesterday as he knows the head of security there (and it’s empty on a Sunday). It kinda reminds me of Scotland in that it’s a small nation so anyone you meet is only one or two people away from the person you’d like to know. I learned that Luxembourg has just 60 members of parliament and so they have a comparatively fast process for reviewing laws.  If the public here did wish to have a law reviewed, they would only need 1000 signatures to have their case discussed. It asked the audience tonight if they saw a petition to reform the Statute of Limitations, would they sign it? They all said ‘absolutely yes’. Good to know…watch this space…

So…(nearly done, sorry)…Yesterday morning, again thanks to Miriam’s contacts, I was offered a free session with an excellent Physiotherapist. Nothing’s wrong with my body but after a month of walking I just wanted a physical once over by a professional. Marek Koziel is the nicest health practitioner that I’ve ever had dig his elbows into my spine. Originally from Poland, he offered to help me with contacts in Warsaw and seemed very interested in my walk. It was quite difficult to breathe let alone engage in chitchat while he was literally running a rolling pin up and down my thighs.  Afterwards I felt wonderfully spaced out. If you’re ever in Luxembourg, call Marek and drop in for a pummelling, you won’t regret it.

In other news…I’ve noticed my body has changed a lot in just one month. I’ve lost a stone (which I’d purposefully gained to give me a head start) and I can now feel all the muscles in my body without moving them, it’s like they’re always awake. Quite bizarre. Marek calculated that I burn 4000 calories a day, which explains why I’ve been wondering if I’m pregnant. I get sudden cravings for very specific things. Luckily Mojo has been more than willing to source every random food type I’ve suddenly realised I need. Having said that, we do eat a lot of soup and toast on the road coz we still have a very limited budget and I don’t want this walk to end in Stockholm because I ate all the money…but when my body says it needs red meat, we find a lidls and make do. I’m far from malnourished though, the food here in Luxembourg is exactly what you need after walking 600km. When Mojo headed off to the airport on Friday, Jac invited me to her beautiful home for a very Luxembourgish dinner. Kulets and sausage, not square or anything but equally awesome!

After Marek thoroughly beat me up, Miriam and David also invited me back to their adorable home for another unforgettable meal.  I’m not quite sure what it was but it was amazing. They’re really looking after me here guys. I don’t drink much, for a Scot…but beer is very hard to refuse in Luxembourg and it is exceptional anyhoo…on top of that, a Digestive (the liquor, not the biscuit) also seems fairly standard to complete any meal. Slanj…

I’m honestly loving the whole Road to Change experience but I do get very tired sometimes. I expected that, though. Walking this much is physically demanding in of itself but add harsh weather and then an extra 15 miles (on top of the usual 25) and suddenly it becomes more of a mental challenge. Once I arrive anywhere, I need to engage my brain and make the most of my time there. Emails, meetings, co-ordinating events with kind people that I only just met and sometimes don’t share a common language with. All part of the challenge, that I set myself. Still, I am trying my best and am really excited to meet as many people as I can in the few days I’m here, but am also looking at my timetable to identify windows where I can simply rest. I’m careful that feeling exhausted doesn’t tip over into actual exhaustion. Meditation and all the kind words of encouragement on Facebook really help. I read and appreciate all the nice messages and I am quite pleased with the project so far. I hope it continues to grow with each country.

I just wish, at the end of a 35 mile day, when my body wants me to stop and my feet feel like toothache, or at the end of a long day of exciting meetings, translators, screenings and interviews that I could just get a hug from boyfriend, before I go to sleep alone in the van and get up to do it all again the next day.

I love you Jojo. You are my angel and I miss you every step of every mile x

And on…

Thank you for reading.

Matty x

 

Wee French article in Luxembourg’s Metro News Paper :)