This is an article about Jane Chevous, author of ‘From Silence to Sanctuary’ an experienced social worker, lecturer, consultant and trainer, and tireless campaigner on behalf of those within society who have suffered abuse.

As I drove to my meeting with Jane, the radio was droning in the background when my attention was grabbed by a phone-in. The discussion centred round the previous days’ headlines concerning a man who had been imprisoned for serious sexual offences against children. The crimes had been committed whilst he had been under the supervision of the probation service. If you do not recall the case, I’m sure you can imagine the tenor of the discussion that ensued about the ability of the probation service to effectively monitor known paedophiles in the community. Somewhat inevitably, the discussion then moved on to the treatment of sex offenders. Many callers were quite rightly suggesting the need for government investment in both more effective supervision and rehabilitation programs. As I listened however, I became acutely aware that there was a profound lopsidedness to the debate. I listened and waited, listened and waited and then, at last, a caller working with abused children and young people raised the oft overlooked area – what about significant investment in professional help and support for the children, young people and adults who had been damaged, sometimes irrevocably, by the perpetrators of these profane acts? The debate served as a stark reminder of this imbalance, but then my thoughts turned to Jane and the excellent organisation she has been involved in setting up, aimed specifically at giving a voice to survivors of abuse, hence the name ‘S: VOX’ (Survivors Voice).

S:VOX facilitates self-help networks, provides advocacy both on an individual and social policy level and is committed to educating the wider community about abuse, its effects and prevention. If that wasn’t a full time job in itself, as I talked with Jane, I discovered there are many other strings to her bow and, as seems to so often be the case, much of the work she is involved in is aimed at alleviating and preventing the type of abusive experiences and suffering of her own childhood and early adult life.

Jane was adopted at birth. Unlike some children, she always knew she had been adopted, so though it caused some confusion in relation to her identity, it was a natural part of her consciousness from an early age. Although her parents intended to be good to her, because their own relationship lacked warmth and demonstrative love, this had a knock on effect on Jane. Compounded by serious organised abuse by a boyfriend and members of his family, Jane’s teenage years were punctuated with bouts of anorexia, depression and suicide attempts.

She ended up believing that abusive relationships were normal (though something inside her told her they weren’t right) and she submitted to the wishes of her abusers because she thought this was the price you had to pay to be loved. Although this relationship eventually ended, due to the power and control exerted by these men, it was extremely difficult for Jane to extricate herself from it. Most of her teenage years, Jane had attended a local Anglican church and the vicar was instrumental in supporting her during this challenging time, though through fear of retribution by her former boyfriend’s family, Jane kept the detail of what had been happening secret. Jane told me that she had been living two separate lives up to that point; her church life and the life with her boyfriend. In order to survive, she compartmentalised them and dissociated one from the other.  Jane is now able to acknowledge that unless faced and dealt with, abusive experiences invariably live on in the soul and it is not possible to bury their effects without repercussion.

Although she continued to blank out that part of her life, Jane recovered enough to think about a career and decided she wanted to become a social worker. She worked in a children’s home, followed by an outward-bound centre in the Yorkshire Dales and then for the church in Zambia. She went on to obtain her social work qualification and certificate in youth and community work, and her first appointment after qualifying was with an Anglican diocese as Youth Officer. She also spent many years at the forefront of the National Anglican Youth Assembly.

Without really knowing why, Jane regarded the church as a place of refuge, healing and strength. Unfortunately however, whilst working for the diocese, an unscrupulous priest used his position of power and Jane’s emotional vulnerability to persuade her to enter into an inappropriate relationship. She realises now it had been abusive from the start and was only able to escape by moving away.

Jane eventually settled in Suffolk with her son, working as a Community Education Officer for a local authority. She joined a local church and later became a Diocesan Youth and Community Advisor as well as lecturer and Assistant Course Director at Ridley Hall Theological College. Jane also opened her home to short-term teenage foster placements. She says she felt a tremendous empathy with the troubled souls who passed through her doors at that time, but it didn’t occur to her for one moment that this was because of her own secret, hurting self that lay buried, but still alive and kicking, beneath the surface of her professional persona.         

The cracks began to appear when she was working for the local authority. It was whilst she was delivering child protection training one day, she realised she could not keep up the façade any longer, and couldn’t continue to dissociate herself from her past.

As a firm believer in the providence of God, I can only describe what happened next as precisely that. Through a series of unplanned acquaintances and telephone conversations, Jane was able to receive the help she so desperately needed from a local minister’s wife who also happened to run her own counselling practice and specialises in working with survivors of abuse. Jane describes her as ‘the best you could possibly imagine’.

For the next two years Jane, at times, literally fought for survival. Facing the terrible abuse of her past was like opening a can of worms. For a while she became anorexic again, displaying the symptoms of her teenage years as, with her counsellor, she worked through all the hurt and pain that threatened to engulf her. In her book, Jane describes the environment created by her counsellor that enabled her to lay much of the effects of her past to rest:

‘I have learnt to reveal all and trust that I can be safe. I have been able to bring my needs and know they are acceptable; if I want to spend my hour in silence, cuddled in her arms, they are opened. If I need to disgorge my anger, there are cushions to beat…. If I am ready to stutter out my story, there is a listener beside me who does not flinch at the messy details… In all the confused images and feelings of the journey, there is the total comfort of someone who is with me every painful inch of the way. She offers the unconditional and loving acceptance of the incarnation – God in flesh, bringing life and liberation.’

In the seven years that have followed, Jane has rebuilt her life, found a fabulous husband with whom she intends to sail round the world at some point, and continues to pioneer work with young people and those affected by abuse. Jane’s insightful book, that she has somehow managed to find time to write, is not only a testimony to her healing but offers simple and effective strategies for responding to abuse issues and making church a safe place.

I have already mentioned S:VOX. The organisation grew from informal group sessions at the annual Greenbelt Arts Festival where, in a safe environment, people came to share their life experiences, particularly their experiences of abuse. Realising there was a desperate need for this kind of forum S:VOX came into being. With their S:VOX hats on, Jane and Concetta Perôt delivered a memorable and powerful seminar at the Greenbelt festival last year issuing a challenge that the church should become a safe place for those bruised by damaging experiences. 

Four years ago, Jane pioneered a vision along with youth workers and members of her church for a youth project based in her town and surrounding villages for socially excluded young people. Working to Christian spiritual values ‘Just 42’ was born. Since its inception, it has helped over 500 young people, working with schools and local authorities, offering after-schools clubs, mentoring schemes, arts projects and many other activities. Amongst the plaudits from both parent and politician alike, the project was recently described by the local constabulary Chief Inspector as, ‘an excellent diversionary facility, keeping kids usefully and positively engaged’. 

I had to smile at Jane’s response to the first draft of this article. What I would describe as her typically self-effacing attitude towards her achievements, she wanted to know if I could take out some of what she called, but definitely isn’t, ‘the boring stuff about me’. Sorry Jane, I couldn’t possibly. However, I will describe in her own words what really makes her buzz:

‘ how excited we are at S:VOX and ‘Just 42’ that God is at the heart of all we do and this changes lives whether or not people have any faith of their own’.

Jane readily admits she is most at home living and working with those on the margins of society and perhaps surprisingly, she has always been drawn to the church because she considered it a safe place to be. Furthermore she is living testimony that through and despite her experiences, she unequivocally believes and says to me at the close of our meeting ‘God is (very definitely) safe’. 

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