The Truth About Child Sexual Abuse | Jeremy Indica on His Story, The System & What Parents Must Know

What happens when a trusted friend becomes a child's worst nightmare? Jeremy Indica was eight years old when his father's friend began sexually abusing him. For over a year, in his own home, under his father's nose, a predator groomed and violated him and Jeremy told no one. Not because he didn't want to. Because he didn't even know he could. This is one of the most difficult, necessary, and powerful conversations The Dad Project has ever aired. Jeremy takes us through the unthinkable—the details of his abuse, the decades of silence, the night terrors at 25, and the moment he finally told his father, shattering him completely. But this episode isn't just about trauma. It's about transformation. Jeremy left a six-figure aerospace engineering career designing Formula One parts to dedicate his life to protecting children. He now speaks in schools, trains teachers and police, runs the platform Something to Say, and fights to change the laws around child safeguarding in the UK. This conversation goes deep into: • The reality of child sexual abuse—what it actually is, how grooming works, and why children stay silent • How childhood trauma resurfaces in adulthood and affects relationships, intimacy, and mental health • Why the education system, parents, and schools must work together to protect children • The dangers of online grooming, gaming chat rooms, and pornography's role in creating offenders • What parents must teach their children about body safety and consent—at every age • Jeremy's confrontation with his abuser, his arrest, and being taken to court • Why we need to understand offenders to safeguard the next generation Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Breaking the Silence on Men's Mental Health 00:02:07 The Question No One Asks: What Actually Happened 00:04:30 Eight Years Old: When the Abuse Began 00:09:40 The Grooming Process: How Predators Manipulate Children 00:15:01 The Abuse Escalates: Moments Frozen in Memory 00:18:12 Hidden in Plain Sight: Why No One Noticed 00:35:01 The Abuser's Profile: Understanding Predators to Protect Children 00:47:41 Twenty-Five and Shattered: When the Memories Returned 00:27:11 Telling His Father: A Scream of Pain 00:54:06 Breaking the Silence: The First Friend 01:07:38 The Open Mic Journey: Finding His Voice 01:17:10 From Engineering to Advocacy: Building Something to Say 01:21:34 Speaking in Schools: Protecting the Next Generation 01:24:17 Practical Advice for Parents: Creating Safe Environments 01:31:35 The Digital Danger: Protecting Children Online 01:34:16 The Vision: Changing Laws and Saving Lives "If you're ever worried or feeling uncomfortable about anything, please remember, you can always come to me because I will help you and you will never be in trouble for what's gone on." This is the sentence every parent needs to say. Every child needs to hear. And every adult who was once that child needs to know it's never too late to speak. Whether you're a parent, teacher, survivor, or someone who wants to understand how to protect the children in your life—this episode will change how you see safeguarding, silence, and the power of speaking out. 🔔 Subscribe for conversations that matter. Share this episode with every parent, teacher, and safeguarding professional you know. Follow Jeremy Indica Instagram: @jeremyindica TikTok: @jeremyindika Something to Say: @somethingtosay_ Website: www.jeremyindika.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-indika-31673573/ Follow The Dad Project Instagram: @thedadprojecthq TikTok: @thedadprojecthq YouTube: @thedadprojecthq X (Twitter): @thedadprojecthq LinkedIn: The Dad Project #ChildSafeguarding #SexualAbuseSurvivor #ParentingAwareness #TheDadProject #ProtectChildren #BreakTheSilence #TraumaRecovery #MensMentalHealth #SurvivorStories #Safeguarding #ChildProtection #JeremyIndica #SpeakOut #HealingJourney