Who is the victim?

Photographer: Caroline Michael

Someone is very much on my mind, a woman. Let's say I met her at some point during my practice as trainee therapist, I dont want people in this story to be recognised, so I will disguise them thoroughly, creating 'composites'. But the essence of what I am saying is true and the issues I am raising very relevant.
Meet Sheila. She has been , still is,  an occasional street walker. One of her clients is a relatively wealthy businessman  whose hobby is photography.  Sheila adores him. Whereas the others treat her pretty rough, this one  pays for her to pose for him, while she dreams of being a supermodel -  as well as paying for her other services of course, he is definitely after value for money. They have known each other for some years, he is kind to her and gives her gifts of money. She secretly dreams of marrying him, but of course he'd never even consider it.
In her  mid-forties, Sheila looks a lot older than her age. She has a history of drug and alcohol abuse, it's in the family, her brother was addicted to heroin and died a few years ago, she is on crack and anything else that can get her high. She is not able to hold down a regular job and has no qualifications.
Short and  skinny, beautiful is not a word one would use to describe her. She has very short, chunky legs, bad skin and bad teeth and sparse hair that is too blond to be natural.
A poor thing you'd think. Indeed, she might give you that impression and in many ways she is a victim. But then there are things about her that will make you think long and hard about who is a victim of what.

Photographer: Caroline Michael

She has had four children by a different father, of different ethnicities. She was married at some point to a hardworking man but  she could not keep away from drinks and drugs, so he walked out. She was left on her own with three children - he took his - and decided to make good use of them, so she turned the eldest daughter, barely ten at the time, into a child prostitute and  made money out of her. The others were left to their own devices, they would not even go to school.  At night Sheila walked the streets.
It is alleged that she herself sexually abused her children. Whether this is true or not, I can't say. The point is that following several  reports by concerned neighbours and the fact the children were always playing truant, the  children were taken away from her by Social Services and she was not allowed them to see them ever again.
Following a row and police intervention, Sheila was  diagnosed psychotic and sectioned. Her businessman client intervened after some time and got her a place to live. She currently lives off his hand outs as well as social security as also the occasional prostitution.

 Photographer: Steven Beard

 At a day centre which she occasionally attends, she was offered therapy. She was not really interested in it, but went to some sessions perfunctorily. She believes she never did any wrong. When you meet her she is very pleasant, a fun loving, uneducated woman who talks incessantly. But when you realise that this woman did not hesitate to prostitute her own daughter, only a child at the time, you can't help doing a double take.
Maybe she was sexually abused when she was a child, maybe not. I did not have access to her full file, so I never found out.
I dont know what happened to those children, apart from the fact they were taken away. Who knows whether this was the right thing to do. She misses them and no doubt they miss her, despite everything.
Personally I think that women like Sheila should not be allowed to become mothers, they cannot deal with the responsibility. I know this is a very un-PC thing to say, but situations such as this make you wonder.
I brought up my son more or less singlehandedly. All right, I am a professional woman and earn a decent salary and thus I was able to educate him well but things were not always easy and there were times when I had to manage with very little. Today my son is a graduate, has just landed a good job, but more importantly he is a mature and considerate adult. What is the difference between Sheila and me? Her children and mine? Who is the victim in this story? Is there one? Is there someone that should/can be blamed?
I did meet Sheila's pseudo-boyfriend by the way. And you know, somewhat irrationally, all I could feel for him was contempt.


(All photos modelled by Alex B)