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“Writer M. McVarish about child sexual abuse prevention: “The most important thing not to be indifferent”
The Scottish actor, playwright, writer Matthew McVarishas who is “Road to Change” project ambassador to Europe, traveling on foot through 32 European countries.
He began his trek š. year. May in London and has traveled to 11 European capitals. Matthew McVarisho march goal – to draw attention to sexually abused children, to protect them from abuse.
Another “Road to Change” project is to draw government attention to the application of limitation of child abuse cases reform.
Matthew also writes a blog, which tells the travel experience: http://roadtochange.eu/.
Lord sat nag s Vilnius during writer Matthew McVarishas visited Bernardinai.lt version. So I took the opportunity to ask him a few questions.
How it all began? Why did you decide to speak such a sensitive topic of child sexual abuse?
It all started in 2008. I have three brothers. All of them suffer from one or another life hardships, suffered from depression.
Once one of the brothers wife called me, told me that his brother is very bad, that it is in crisis. Then I visited him in Ireland, we have come together in a bar, išgėrėme, and we talked openly for the first time.
We are not accustomed to talk openly, because society is mostly male, it is difficult to talk about personal things, especially about sexual problems.
Išsikalbėję, we found out that we, all four brothers have experienced childhood sexual abuse were abused uncle.
Then I started to take interest in more detail, look for help, and I found the web site “Stop the Silence”. This is – the movement, all of which shall be appointed by the forces of child sexual exploitation, with the associated problems – the protection of children and the like. I was fascinated, if only the name – “Stop the Silence!”
Looking at things in more detail in succession and created the play, however, because I am also a writer, and actor. I wrote about the two brothers, chatting for about your painful experience. Performance premiere and watched my brothers. This work has also led them to open up, to talk about what they went through. Our uncle, now convicted, is serving a sentence in prison.
After a while the “Stop The Silence “organization asked me to be their ambassador in Europe. After agreeing to have decided that it is traveling through the country on foot to be able to draw more attention than the plane while flying from city to city.
When you have been invited to this movement ambassador, agreed immediately, or even had time to consider it. After all, it is very sensitive, almost in public neaptarinėjama topic when it comes to a decidedly personal decision …
Of course, I’m a lot of people have said, “You’re very brave to talk about it.” Many are ashamed to talk about it as though it would be a very bad thing.
I was seventeen years old when I started to talk about it, and thank God that I had someone to whom I could confide. It healed me talking, I felt better, I started to recover.
And my three brothers, very difficult to heal, they are taking medication for depression …
You know, I was six years old when an uncle sexually abused me, and at that time he was forty. Why should I be ashamed of what happened to me? I am not to blame.
So my talking about it is a logical, positive and very important.
Is this the way to go and also to talk about the fund proved? We get enough attention? Is this trip meets your expectations?
It is working well. In the 12 countries that have already been visited, I was filming the TV, they paid radio interview I gave to the other media. Such attention nesulaukčiau really, if you just skraidyčiau from conference to conference.
I noticed that my example of countries visited, the people inspired to speak about these issues. Some have talked with the family, with some justice – my speech to help people not to be afraid.
Also try as much as possible, take my popular governments or parliamentary attention to the problems of sexual abuse of children – that the trouble really exist, and those things really happening. Another aspect of wheat in local languages English translation published in the publication, paying children how to protect themselves from sexual abuse, how to handle it when it happens. I mediated in Estonia and Lithuania initiated the publication translation.
Mention of Lithuania. What is your experience ambasadoriauti our country – or had the opportunity to spread the word about your business?
I mostly koncentruojuosi to one very specific aspect of the legislative – application of the limitation of child abuse cases reform. Lithuania in this case, the victims are unfavorable legal framework. If a victim of sexual abuse experienced age of 25 and by the time it does not express charge, then the offender shall not be penalized. It is as if he will be free to continue to commit crimes unconstrained. Therefore, this is very important to speak out loud.
Do you like parties adopt your mission. For example, Eastern European countries?
Happens in different ways. For example, Latvia, met with representatives of the Government and the Parliament, but totally did not get the media attention, maybe even the latter deliberately did not want to give space to my speeches on these topics.
In Lithuania, the media are interested in: I gave three interviews for TV, I was on radio, print journalists also asked here and now I am your version … ( smiles )
Maybe we can talk to you as an artist, writer, actor experience. How much it helps to talk about child sexual abuse issues to a wider audience? How much do you think this problem can help overcome artistic expression?
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| Matthew and his companion McVarishas StigEvgenios Levin photo |
I am a professional actor, screenwriter, writing prose and songs. So, of course, the opportunity to have an audience happy. Write a play or work, then you will hear or see the audience is a great opportunity for me to say what I want.
I’m sorry that some of the contemporary art works or plays are designed just for entertainment or talking about nothing. If you already have an audience granted to luxury, it is a huge opportunity. Always telling one story or another, I try not to give flatness, over simplifying everything – desire to inspire the audience and talk about what’s important to me. The art of the positive impact of art on people really see.
How much do you think the artist should be socially conscious?
Personally, I find this: because from a young age to the teens have experienced sexual abuse, of course, the pain and the anger is still there and it is focused.
Anger is a very strong driving force, because it is the cause of all wars. But if a man will only anger using the provided power to get a lot of resistance and eventually burn out. And anger is the opposite of compassion.
Compassion for our neighbor … It was chosen because of a move – will go over all the country of 10 000 miles (16 000 km), which in Europe alone is 10 million.people who as children had been sexually abused. I was given the force of compassion leads.
One of the Nobel Prize winners, Holocaust survivor, said: “The opposite of life is not death, but indifference.” Both the artist and any other person, if you are alive, it is important to be neabejingam.
After such wonderful words let’s go back to your everyday ride through Europe. Looks like an ordinary day of your trip, or if you have helpers, the physical effort required? How much is still left to go?
The journey will end in 2015. February. I have gone 3800 miles. There was only 12 thousand.
My everyday look like this: wake up to the light and start to go, went 15 miles.We are two, side by side moving house on wheels, it’s driving my colleague Stig.After 15 km road leads to pause, pause, drinks tea snack. Then I go another 15 miles, again pause, rest. And another 15 km. So during the day You go about 40 miles, and then already looking for a safe place overnight. Spent the night, we go back to the capital either, until we reach it. Within an hour after one of two villages or small towns. Of course, not the highway to go, so I go local roads.When you accept a dog, I see people … (Laughs) I find it important that even walking around I would point out, because I am dressed in a Scottish outfit. And when the people see me on TV, I am confident that this will lead the discussion.Some will say, that has seen me has yet to see the other, this will lead to debate, and that I desire.
In terms of nutrition, is calculated to have food to eat, the energy value of 5 thousand. calories, but often fail to eat a bit of fatigue, so this trip now I’ve lost 8 pounds.
Most travel plan is composed of almost three phases. One phase consists of several major sections. For example, Paris-Luxembourg, etc. Of course, the different sections, they need to prepare differently. It is even related to the vaccine. For example, in the European part of the vaccine for encephalitis, in other parts of the continent – from other diseases. Some of the travel section of a lighter, more pleasant (for example, from Copenhagen to Stockholm while traveling – good roads, all agree well speak English), and some sections are more difficult to overcome … But somehow each section interesting and valuable.
Before the interview, you mentioned that your online daily Bernardinai.ltfounders of the Franciscans? It? Me St. Francis also attracted to personality.For example, I would seriously go on foot from Rome to Assisi …
And yet – when me somewhere along the way a dog attack and have been seeing him unfriendly minded, I call this the holy always help …
Thank you, and I would like to ask your fellow Stig. Shortages or all of the time traveling together, or joined later?
We met with Matthew Sweden. I saw a job ad in the wanted driver for such a project. I have not had a month of work, so I contacted according to the ad, met and agreed that I would drive the camper. Initially tarėmės for a period of time, but now that we have traveled quite a few times, you might say that it is – an amazing experience, we are very well together, so this stage of life I can not imagine myself anywhere else and running something else. This is – the perfect job. ( smiles )
The last question to you, Matthew. You are flats. Where is traveling next?
In Warsaw. I plan to go there during the twelve days. Even though I have two days back – if a strong wind or rain on …
Thank you for the interview. We wish you good luck and drive your mission s !
Interviewed by Anthony Shimkus