Patrice Evra: “Was sexually exploited as a child”

The 40-year-old, who has a long and successful football career behind him at Manchester United and Juventus, among others, says in the interview that a teacher subjected him to abuse when he was 13 years old.

Evra has long chosen to keep secret what he went through, even for his mother. But with the forthcoming release of the Frenchman’s autobiography – which describes the abuse – he decided to tell her.

– She was crushed of course and it was a big shock for her. She said, “You do not have to have it in your book. It’s private Patrice “, but then I said” mom, it’s not about me but about other children “and she understood.

Evra has not yet decided whether to report the perpetrator, but his mother urges him to do so.

– The first thing my mother said was “if you do not report him, I will, I will kill him”. It’s a lot of anger. But I’ve buried this so far down I’m not thinking about it.

The Frenchman has felt very ashamed of what he was exposed to and hopes that his history will be able to help others in similar situations.

– I do not want anyone to be ashamed or feel that they do not dare to tell. It’s not about being brave, it’s about telling when you’m ready. I want to help children not blame themselves or be ashamed. Now I do not tell for my own sake, but for the sake of others.

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