A child abuse survivor who says she was raped and tortured by a well-known figure in London Fields is pleading with other victims to come forward.

The woman, who is now a successful academic, told the Gazette she was finally able to face up to the torment she suffered between 1973 and the early 1980s, and bring her attackers to justice.

She has turned to private investigator Mike Naughton to help her find other survivors and build a case she can take to police. The woman says she knows of some victims who have declined to speak out.

“I’m a survivor and I know dozens of other children were abused,” she said. “I know that it would be very frightening to come forward but they won’t be alone, they will be supported.

“Initially it would just be a conversation – not about going to police.

“As we have seen with historic allegations, it’s more possible to speak about these things now and, from my perspective, actually having dealt with what happened was healing and liberating. Having support to do that, and knowing I wasn’t alone, was essential.”

It is claimed the well-known figure led an organised paedophile ring who abused children in a house in the E8 area, as well as taking them to other locations in the UK as well as abroad and making them perform sex acts in front of a group. The survivor told the Gazette she also remembers being forced to take LSD.

The woman added: “I had a quite serious breakdown when my daughter was born and I needed to get to a place where undertaking this investigation was possible. I’ve been wanting to get them for a long time.”

PI Mr Naughton, who runs Cheshire firm Lewis Legal, is looking to speak to others who may have been abused by the same people.

For legal reasons, and to avoid compromising the investigation, the Gazette is unable to specify the name of the alleged abuser or the address where the abuse is said to have taken place.

Mr Naughton, who has worked on similar cases in the past, believes other victims would now be in their late 40s or early 50s.

“Like many victims of child sex abuse, my client chose not to disclose her allegations to the authorities,” he said. “That was due to feelings of guilt and fear for her own safety, plus what many victims of child sex assault suffer – fears that it would be assumed that due to their age they were compliant in the acts.”

Anyone who believes they were a victim or witness to the abuse can contact Mr Naughton on hackneyCSA@protonmail.com.

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Anyone who has suffered sexual abuse at any time can report it to the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, Hackney Council’s child protection team on 020 8356 4844 or the police on 101.