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Clarity and understanding

Chris

What happened to me

I have autism and EUPD with attachment difficulties. I was using a support service for over a year while going through burnout, homelessness, and emotional dysregulation.

A new manager started at the service. She did not keep professional boundaries.

  • Contact shifted from support to personal interaction.
  • She contacted me outside work hours, even when I was no longer using the service.
  • She made statements like “I like you,” which led me to say it back.
  • She met me outside my temporary accommodation and took me to her home.
  • She said she loved me.
  • She told me she was walking around in her underwear in front of her ex and said I had to accept it, otherwise it meant I did not love her.
  • She introduced sexualised behaviour and BDSM content about dominating vulnerable people, which I did not want.
  • She disclosed past abuse and later denied it.
  • She gave contradictory information about her ex-partner.
  • She used push–pull behaviour: threats of abandonment, making me jealous, and requiring me to “prove” my love.

All of this took advantage of my vulnerable emotional state. I was already struggling to process my emotions, regulate myself, and understand my own experiences.

Effects on me:

  • Extreme panic, hypervigilance, and dissociation.
  • Intrusive thoughts and difficulty concentrating.
  • Emotional dysregulation worsened.
  • Trouble connecting with friends and family.
  • Feeling unsafe and exploited.
  • Recovery was prevented and my mental health got worse.

I am sharing this because I want others to understand how professional misconduct can exploit vulnerability, especially for autistic people with emotional difficulties. I also want support to process this, because I struggle to express how badly it affected me.

inhave explained this to cmht but they never take me serious, they tell me to distract myself but I can’t because I’m in constant panic I think it may because I’m male but if this was the other way around It would of been taken seriously, this has been going on for 2 years and all happend after I lost my job for diagnosed with autism and EUPD lost my home and had to go into temporary accommodation, I can’t continue with this thought alone I feel I’ve been violated and when trying to explain the the cmht team they discriminate against me because of autism and I’m struggling to cope I have just realised I have been in a panic attack for weeks maybe more my mind and body are so disconnected …………….

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  • in reply to Chris

    Info from chatGPT, it is accurate, just saves me typing. I think the police will be interested, the mental health team won't be able to fob them them off. The more details you can remember the better. Abuse of position and abuse of a vulnerable person are serious aggravating factors. They may also be able to point you to someone who can help if it is causing you distress. It is worth a try. They should have people trained to talk to you. I will be a bit intimidating, but they should be sympathetic.

    Question:

    If a vulnerable person was sexually harassed by a person in a position of authority, if it was 2 years ago and person no longer works in their position, is the vulnerable person still able to make a complaint or contact the police? UK.

    Answer:

    *Yes — in the UK, a vulnerable person can still contact the police or make a complaint about sexual harassment or abuse that happened 2 years ago, even if the person in authority no longer works in that position. There is no general statute of limitations for most sexual offences (including harassment, assault, rape, abuse of position of authority, etc.) in England and Wales, and police can take reports many years after the event. 

    Pushpin Reporting to the Police

    Criminal offences like sexual harassment, sexual assault or abuse can be reported to the police at any time, regardless of how much time has passed since the incident. There is no time limit on reporting most sexual offences in England and Wales — people have reported crimes from decades earlier and police have taken them seriously. 

    You can call the non-emergency number (101) or go to a police station to make a formal report.

    The police will take your statement and may assign a specially trained officer to handle it (e.g., a Sexual Offences Liaison Officer). 

    Pushpin Vulnerability and Position of Authority

    If the person who did this was in a position of authority and the victim was vulnerable, this can be an important factor in how police and prosecutors view the case. It doesn’t stop you from reporting later — vulnerability can be an aggravating factor. 

    Abuse of position (especially for a sexual purpose) can itself be an offence in some contexts (e.g., police misconduct criteria). 

    Pushpin Workplace or Other Internal Complaints

    Internal complaints to an employer or organisation can also be made even after a long time, and the organisation should still take it seriously, investigate as far as possible, and support you. 

    Internal grievance or tribunal time limits are separate (e.g., employment tribunal time limits are usually 3 months less one day from the last act for workplace discrimination/harassment claims); but for police/criminal reporting there is no such strict time bar. 

    brain Support and Next Steps

    Many survivors find it helpful to contact a specialist sexual violence support organisation (e.g., Rape Crisis England & Wales or local services) before or alongside reporting to the police — they can give confidential advice and accompany you through the process.

    When you contact police, you will be asked about details (dates, what happened, names if known, any witnesses).

    ---

    Summary:

    Heavy check mark You can still report sexual harassment or abuse that happened 2 years ago in the UK.

    Heavy check mark There is no general statutory limitation for reporting sexual offences to the police. 

    Heavy check mark The fact the person no longer holds the position of authority does not stop you from reporting.

    Heavy check mark Police and prosecutors decide based on evidence and public interest whether to investigate further.

    —

    If you want, I can explain exactly how to report to the police step-by-step or tell you about support organisations in your area.