​More survivors are coming forward in light of recent high-profile cases

Sex abuse survivors say the system designed to protect has failed them.

At a rally held in Glasgow’s George Square, dozens of abuse survivors united to encourage others to come forward and report historical abuse.

The rally – organised by SAFE, Seek and Find Everyone Abused in Childhood – will run for three days in a bid to get more people coming forward.

Sex abuse survivor and organiser Dave Sharp explained that the group have been out campaigning across Scotland and as a result they have had over 200 people come forward who said they were abused in childhood.

He said: “We have many people who say they reported their abuse years ago and nothing was done.

“We are trying to give a positive message that it is safe to come forward now because we do have The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, we do have the National Confidential Forum, but it is also important that we have a police force now that has adjusted.

"We know there is more paedophiles in jail now than ever before so that says the police are doing something right.”

Sandra Toyer works with the support group Voice Within, who help survivors come to terms with what happened to them.

She said: “The group allows survivors to meet other people in the same situation. Some people are only disclosing for the first time.

“We have been running for four years now. The support group has allowed people to take away that shame that they felt which they have carried for so long.

"It is such a shame that they didn’t feel able to talk about it before but coming together with other people and getting strength from each other has helped them.”

She added: “We have to remember we are talking to survivors now but they were children when it happened. It was horrific what happened to them, tortured and abused by professionals and other adults. We can never forget about them.”

Toyer urged anyone to come forward if they have experienced similar abuse as a child.

“The shame is not theirs they have to direct the shame to where it belongs and that was the perpetrators.”

Janine Rennie, chief executive of Wellbeing Scotland, which delivers an in-care survivor service for those who were abused in a care setting, said her organisation has dealt with over 1,500 survivors.

She said: “I have been working with people who were abused in care in Scotland since 2008. I have seen the level atrocity in terms of the abuse which has been perpetrated in care.

“What people don’t understand is that with the abuse that went on, there was an element of trafficking with young people getting moved around and abused in different settings. Children that were in care were just really being treated like commodities.”