Anxiety crawls through my body as we wait for Sarah, the teacher from Rippingsworth, to arrive. Jen tries to be as reassuring as she can and makes me focus on the fact that we are doing this for James and all the women Daniel has harassed.
Alexandra Ravensbrook
A petite woman with long, mousey-brown hair, clutching her tote bag, walks into the café. Jen stands and waves the woman over to our table. As the woman takes her seat, Jen introduces us.
"Hi, Sarah. Thanks for coming. We really appreciate it," Jen starts, her voice as soft and soothing as it can be. Sarah looks haunted and shy, and I fear she won’t want to give us much information. "Sarah, this is Isabelle Matthews. She’s a newly qualified teacher at our school who Daniel has been harassing. Isabelle, this is Sarah Peterson, a biology teacher from Rippingsworth," she says quietly, trying to put Sarah at ease. "I’ll go grab us some coffees while Isabelle tells you what’s happening."
Jen strides over to the serving counter, leaving Sarah and me alone.
"Sarah, thank you so much for coming. You don't know what it means to me to have you talk to us." I need to earn her trust and make her feel safe enough to open up. I remember how hard that was after Matt.
Sarah is clearly anxious, and a tight smile crosses her face as she still holds onto her bag, gripping it for dear life across her chest.
I continue, “My partner, James, is also a teacher at my school. After I rejected Daniel, he targeted James. As well as aiming derogatory comments at us, he's also made disgusting homophobic remarks to Jen.” I sit back,
Yes, Miss
wanting to give her space to think over what I’ve said, hoping she’ll see I’m on her side.
Sarah’s face relaxes a little, as does the grip on her bag, and Jen returns with three coffees and takes her seat again. “Anything you can say to help us will really, really help. I understand it's very difficult to talk about.” I reach across and put my hand on top of Sarah’s, now that she’s relaxed a little more, as she plays with a sugar packet. Sarah sits back with her coffee in her hands, looking down at the foam at the top of the cup, going silent and still.
She takes a deep breath and looks us both in the eyes before turning to Jen, a stoic look passing over her features. “Do you want to record this? I don't fancy telling it twice. If I can bring that bastard down, I will do. He made my life a misery.”
Jen reaches into her bag and pulls out her phone, setting it up between them. Sarah takes a sip of her coffee, puts her bag to the side, and sits forward with a very determined look on her face. No longer the meek and mild, anxious-looking woman, a look of pure vengeance lighting up her face. She takes a deep breath, looks at Jen, and as Jen nods, she presses the red button on the screen.
Sarah starts talking clearly. “My name is Sarah Peterson, and I'm the biology teacher at Rippingsworth College. I'm here talking to Jen and Isabelle with regard to Daniel Robertson, maths teacher. Four years ago, Daniel made my life hell.”
Alexandra Ravensbrook
She takes a breath, steeling herself to rehash clearly painful memories.
“I was a newly qualified teacher and new to the area. Daniel, at first, seemed friendly and welcoming. He said that teachers were meeting up for a drink after work and that I should come along. When I got to the pub, there was no one there. I should have known right there and then.
“Daniel made excuses that everybody had cried off and couldn’t come, but something didn't sit right with me. I stayed for two drinks and then went to leave. Daniel followed me back to my car, saying he wanted to make sure I was safe.” She huffs out a small laugh. “As I went to open the car door, he tried to kiss me. At no point in the evening did I give him the impression I fancied him or wanted any contact.”
She looks right at us both as if she’s trying to convince us, her eyes pleading. I reach out and place my hand on hers, giving a small smile in reassurance.
Her head dips down as she pulls her hand back and starts to wring them together.
“I was stunned and stepped back and told him I wasn’t interested in that. From that moment on, Daniel was no longer kind or welcoming.” Her head shoots up to look at us again, fury written all over her face. “He was a total dick!” she spits. “Unfortunately, we taught in the same
Yes, Miss
building, and he would make lewd comments about my body, brush against me in the corridor, and repeatedly try to touch my ass. At one point, in the store cupboard, as I was reaching for equipment above me, he groped my breasts, making me drop the equipment and smash glass everywhere.”
Her eyes start to fill up, and she runs a finger under them to clear away an impending tear. Her voice thickens as she continues.
“When another teacher came to see the noise, Daniel said he was just helping me clear up. He was very careful, never did it where there were witnesses. When I went to the head teacher to complain, he told me that Daniel would never do something like that and that he always made an effort to welcome the new staff.”
I gasp in horror at the insensitivity of her boss.
“The head teacher warned me not to make waves so early in my career. It turns out Daniel was good friends with him. When I tried to pursue it further after another couple of incidents, he refused to look into it. When I threatened to go to the police, he told me no one would believe me and that Daniel had a sterling teaching career. Clearly, he told Daniel this, and he turned up at my front door. God knows how he got my address. Daniel pushed inside my house and threatened me.”
Alexandra Ravensbrook
She drains the last of her coffee, pausing and letting her gaze drift to the rain. Giving her a moment to gather her thoughts, I sit, contemplating everything that has been said. Sarah looks me dead in the eye, pain etched on her face.
“He told me he could get away with a lot worse, and he had me pinned against the wall, making it very clear what he was referring to. Luckily, school had closed for a couple of weeks for half term, and I didn't have to see him. However, when I went back, there were rumours in the staff room that I had slept with him, and Daniel was laughing in the corner. He got braver. He started sending me text messages. Again, I hadn't given him my number, so clearly someone had. At this point, he was harassing me over texts.”
