Pianist James Rhodes speaks out about the 'shame' he felt after his childhood rape

He mentioned the "shame" that he felt in the years before he opened up about his rape

Pianist James Rhodes spoke to Channel 4 News about his experiences (Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)

James Rhodes, the pianist who went through a Supreme Court battle to publish his memoir describing the rape he suffered as a child, has been contacted by thousands of victims who are now willing to speak out after hearing his story.

His book, Instrumental, goes into detail about the pain he suffered after keeping his rape a secret for decades. Since it was published earlier this year, many other rape victims have come forward, inspired by his frank and open discussion of his trauma.

In the memoir, Rhodes writes about the time he was raped by his boxing coach at the age of six. He says this abuse turned him overnight from a "giggly alive kid to a walled-off, lights-out automaton."

The publication of the book was blocked after his ex-wife obtained an injunction, claiming the book would cause “severe emotional distress and psychological harm” to their 12-year-old son, who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome.

However, the Supreme Court ruled that the publication was justified, and his book was released to the world.

In an interview with Channel 4 News, he says the feeling of shame is the biggest thing he has suffered from since his abuse as a child.

Speaking to Jon Snow, he said: "That's the great legacy of it, that somehow it was my fault - that I was too pretty, that I was too flirtatious, that I brought it on myself. That just carries on and on."

He said that in the early 1980s, when his abuse occurred, his signs of trauma went unnoticed.

"There were so many signs I was displaying - all the weird twitches and tics, bed-wetting, the OCD stuff, and often disappearing for hours on my own."

"Nowadays we would be all over it, but back then I was just considered a bit of a weird kid."

He talked about his "Everest" of trauma that he worked to overcome, eventually becoming an inspiration to other rape survivors once his story was released.