Prue Leith reveals how she called out nuns’ sex abuse at her school – but ended up pitying them before being kicked out of past pupils society
As an obsessed fan who has closely followed Dame Prue Leith‘s remarkable journey, I find her story to be both heart-wrenching and inspiring. The way she bravely stood up for herself and others, even at the cost of being ostracized from her alma mater, is a testament to her courage and integrity. It’s a stark reminder that sometimes, speaking truth to power can have unexpected consequences, but it’s always the right thing to do.
Prue Leith shares her story about exposing instances of sexual abuse by nuns in her school. However, she subsequently felt compassion for the teachers involved, and eventually was expelled from the alumnae association.
During conversations about her adolescent period, Prue recounted an unusual practice at her South African school where English nuns would provoke tears among the girls, only to offer comfort in what seemed like a ‘sexually charged’ manner. In her last year, she was chosen by fellow students to address this issue publicly.
However, the future star of The Great British Bake Off expressed compassion for the nuns following her criticism, acknowledging that they had been taken away from their convent in Britain, where they faced a life without sexual relationships or romantic affection.
The girls’ boarding school in Johannesburg, which is a private church institution, was managed by nuns hailing from Wantage, a town located in Oxfordshire.
84-year-old Prue shared during her interview with Gyles Brandreth on his Rosebud podcast that when asked about the nuns, she responded by saying they were far from pleasant individuals; in fact, she called them quite unacceptable and shameful.
‘They were good teachers.
My mother frequently expressed the opinion that one shouldn’t become a nun. She believed that these women were in their forties and ought to be married farmwives instead, leading more typical lives, including having a sexual relationship and experiencing normalcy.
‘Because if they’re not, if they’re locked up with a lot of teenage girls, they get up to stuff.’
In her continuing discourse, she explained that there was a longstanding custom at the school whereby the girls who graduated would have a discussion with the headmistress to share their thoughts on areas they believed could be enhanced within the educational institution.
It was decided among us that it’s crucial to communicate to the nuns to refrain from physically interacting with the girls.
A group of us were conversing around the common room table and they all turned to me and said, ‘Prue is capable, she’s not a prefect.’
Therefore, I found myself needing to begin this brief address. As events unfolded, we arrived at that significant point. It proved quite challenging for me, as the person in question was none other than Sister Irene Benedict, our esteemed headteacher.
I suggested that my sister might consider ensuring, especially for the nuns, not to upset or make the young girls cry. If unfortunately, some tears do occur, she should gently console them, avoiding any inappropriate touching.
‘Because that’s what she’d do, she’d make the girls cry and then she’d comfort them.
‘It was this emotional thing of making little girls cry in order to….you know.
The unfavorable response opened my eyes to a different perspective. As I was delivering my speech at that very moment, the Angelus chimed, the bells rang at 6:00, causing everyone to stand.
As the most prominent individual in the gathering, she chose to remain silent instead of reciting the “Hail Mary.” Given her inability to speak, it was understandable that we all awaited her actions with a sense of anticipation.
I finally took a good, long look at her, realizing that amidst all my words, I hadn’t truly seen her. It was then I noticed her cheeks had turned an intense shade of purple, and she seemed unable to speak.
‘Anyhow, we sat down again and it wasn’t mentioned and that was the end of the meeting.
Reflecting on the situation, I couldn’t help but empathize: “I pondered, ‘What must it be like for her?’ With limited avenues of support, if you’re a vibrant 40-year-old woman, and there’s no one to share affection with, and intimacy is absent from your life.
Additionally, during our conversation, I mentioned, “We find your method of petting the dog uncomfortable, as you were stroking quite affectionately a large breed Great Dane.
Later on, Prue mentioned that, following her departure, she was invited to contribute to a South African publication focusing on boarding schools.
She added: ‘I wrote this story. I told them about this whole sexual thing.
It seems that I received correspondence from the president of the alumnae association of my former school, who has persistently encouraged me over the years to distribute the school awards, speak to the students, or pay a visit to the institution itself.
Nonetheless, she penned a letter expressing her disapproval, claiming that I had disappointed our school’s reputation and broken trust with our alma mater. Consequently, they revoked my membership from the alumnae association, which goes by some other name, and I was no longer welcome to return.
“I wrote to her, ‘You might recall that it was half a century ago. The nuns seemed quite sharp, but soon afterward they disappeared.’
‘They were English nuns and they were brought back to Wantage, which was their headquarters.
I responded, “Fifty years have passed since the nuns left, and the school has transformed into something totally new. So, could you please clarify your statement? It seems to me like you’re suggesting that we shouldn’t document or learn from history.
‘Anyhow, they then got a new head teacher and now they still ask me to go.’
Prue stated that besides the uncomfortable, unwanted touching, she didn’t notice anything else amiss, and she made clear she didn’t want it to continue once she departed.
The full interview can be heard on the Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth podcast on all major platforms.
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2024-11-17 03:30