No Child of Mine
No Child of Mine is a 1997 British docudrama-television film on ITV starring Brooke Kinsella. It documents the true case of a girl named Kerry who was sexually abused throughout her childhood.[1]
Plot
13-year-old Kerry, whose last name is not disclosed for safety reasons, endures problems at home with her parents fighting each other and eventually separating. Shortly after, her mother's new boyfriend moves in with them and begins physically and sexually abusing her. Her mother, Linda, also occasionally takes part of/in the abuse. Kerry's father, Jim, a construction worker, attempts to manipulate her into prostitution, something she is unaware of until a few truck drivers "borrow" her.
Kerry's situation worsens at home, with Jim abusing Linda and her boyfriend named Graham for abusing Kerry, and she avoids returning home. One of her class teachers suddenly becomes aware of her situation and attempts to have her placed in childcare. The class teacher, social workers, and friends attempt to file charges of sexual and physical abuse on behalf/at the hands of Kerry against her mother's boyfriend. However, the crown prosecution later declines to continue the case, arguing there is not enough legal evidence to support the allegations. Kerry is placed into foster care, but her over-reactions cause her to damage and destroy property as well as create messes, making it impossible for the foster family to keep her.
Kerry is then placed into a childcare home. She is seduced by a pimp, and for some time willingly leases herself for profit. A social worker in the childcare home also begins to sexually abuse her. Feeling helpless, Kerry frequently visits her class teacher and tries to move in with him, but he is unable to care for her. He consults his friend and child-support agent to have Kerry placed somewhere else where she'll be safer, but her case cannot be given any more priority than that of any other child.
Towards the end of the film, Kerry runs away and finds a smaller, more expensive childcare home in rural Britain. They decline her money, which she obtained by prostituting herself. Traumatized, Kerry does not speak for her first few days there. As she begins to trust the people at the childcare, she begins to reveal her story. And a few years later, she went to study at a university.
Cast
- Brooke Kinsella as Kerry
- Colin Salmon as Paul
- Bill Geraghty as Jim
- Sharon Small as Linda
- Geoffrey Church as Graham
References
- "I felt alone, dirty and guilty". tes.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016.