Film documents hidden torment experienced by black sexual abuse survivors

A director who documented the hidden torment of black sexual abuse survivors hopes to take his film on to a national network.

Six black men share their shocking experience in a movie by Kevin Marshall shown at his local cinema last month.

Mr Marshall, pictured, wrote, shot and directed the documentary to help raise awareness of sexual abuse after trying to write his own experiences of being exploited by someone he had trusted.

He spent all his savings to cover the costs of the film, which sheds light on sexual abuse within the black community and how young black boys suffer in silence due to their fear of how it might be heard.

The Everyman Cinema in Church Road, Upper Norwood showed the film on August 25.

Mr Marshall said: “I used all my saving and travelled to America and parts of the UK looking for black men that were willing to share their story of sexual abuse.

“I felt compelled to film while writing my book Untold Story due to me not willing to fully open up about my experience – despite me writing the book.

“I struggled with the emotion of my book because I was scared to feel again – so I decided to stop writing and try to remember how it felt being a young boy that dealt with abuse.”

The documentary gives an in-depth look at six black men sharing their personal stories of sexual abuse as children.

It looks at the traumatising affect it has on them as children – and all the way into adulthood – and why more black men need to speak out against sexual abuse.

Mr Marshall added: “The audience was incredible – Everyman Crystal Palace were so supportive and really made us feel welcomed. The film was well received, an emotional piece.

“The aim is to try and have it on a TV network or platform so we can really help people suffering from sexual abuse.

“My book, Running Away from Me, has been extremely supportive – helping men talk about surviving sexual abuse.

“This year, we’ve seen the highest cases of sexual abuse yet due to shame and secrecy. Black boys and men are not coming forward and we need to change the narrative and support men speaking out about abuse.

“People will see a raw untold story of sexual abuse within the black community and hopefully this documentary creates that conversation.”