James Rhodes giving a statement after the judge ruled in his favour with friend Benedict Cumberbatch watching
Of course I am the first person to admit I know of this wonderful musician through his friend Benedict Cumberbatch but I'm very glad of it. What a kind, wonderful, lovely human being he is! James Rhodes a very talented pianist has written a book which I can't wait to get my hands on.
Yesterday he was in court to win his case for free speech. Yes, this is still 2015.
James' memoir details the very serious assaults he suffered as a young boy and the way in which music has helped him to deal with the trauma. However, his ex-wife sought to prevent publication of key passages, arguing that they would have too distressing an impact on their 12-year-old son. But what about James, I thought? What about his rights? And do women shelter their children too much? Isn't it best their son would know about his dad? That is another discussion entirly I understand that.
James' memoir details the very serious assaults he suffered as a young boy and the way in which music has helped him to deal with the trauma. However, his ex-wife sought to prevent publication of key passages, arguing that they would have too distressing an impact on their 12-year-old son. But what about James, I thought? What about his rights? And do women shelter their children too much? Isn't it best their son would know about his dad? That is another discussion entirly I understand that.
Benedict Cumberbatch, James Rhodes and his wife Hattie
James said he wept as he read the ruling that anyone who had suffered in the way in which he did had the right to tell the world about it. It was “an amazing, resounding endorsement” of the right of sexual violence survivors to tell their stories, he said. “One of the hardest things has been the secrecy involved; not being able to talk about it directly or indirectly, the threat of imprisonment should I even reveal there was ongoing litigation.
“I’ve had to give concerts with all this hanging over me, not knowing if I was going to lose my house … feeling that I was being punished for something that was done to me 30 years ago. It made no sense to me that this could happen in Britain in 2015.”
Rhodes was repeatedly raped while a pupil at the junior school at Arnold House, a preparatory school for boys in St John’s Wood, north London. His abuser was a man called Peter Lee, who worked at the school part-time, as a boxing coach. Lee was recently arrested and charged, but died before he could be brought to trial.
The attacks left Rhodes with spinal damage and the trauma led to many years of addiction, self-harm and mental health problems for Rhodes.
Rhodes’ autobiography, entitled Instrumental, will be published next week. Interwoven with his account of rape and trauma is the story of the way in which he largely taught himself to read music and play the piano, and his relationship with music.
His autobiography reveals how now, at age 40, his intense relationship with music has helped him to make sense of the torment he has endured.
Music can heal. James knows that more than anyone. I understand that, I too use music to soothe when grieving or when hurting. For him to write about this is very brave and helpful for others in the same posistion.
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© KH
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