I was Rolf Harris’ daughter’s pal and he abused me from age 13 – he gave me a sinister warning to keep me quiet
ROLF Harris abused his daughter’s pal from the age of 13 and gave her a sinister warning to keep her quiet, a new documentary has revealed.
Convicted sex offender Harris, 93, was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison back in 2014.
The disgraced Australian performer was found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault at London’s Southwark Crown Court against four underage girls – including the friend.
In a new two-part doc airing next week his catalogue of abuse will be told, including a harrowing story from Harris’ daughter’s pal, who was a teenager at the time.
Rolf Harris: Hiding In Plain Sight, will tell how the woman was sexually assaulted for over 16 years.
Her trauma will be told through psychotherapist Chip Somers who tried helping the victim in the 90s.
Mr Somers explains how the woman went to him with alcohol issues before the horror was finally uncovered.
He said: “She told me she had been sexually abused by Rolf Harris from the age of 13, and this went on for a number of years.
“Her choice was to not say anything about it, but it caused her a lot of trauma and was instrumental in causing her to misuse alcohol as a way of anaesthetising that trauma… a momentary respite from having to carry that burden all the time.”
The psychotherapist added the victim was told by Harris she couldn’t tell anyone about their “relationship” and threatened her into silence with his power and money.
Mr Somers said: “She was also quite clearly told, ‘this is something that you cannot talk about. Do not tell anybody about this. This is our little secret. I am a powerful person, I have money, so tread carefully’.”
Being forced to carry the “burden” of her abuse, the woman was left feeling disgusted, says Mr Somers in the TV series.
He added: “Trauma thrives in darkness and Rolf Harris made quite sure that she was shrouded in darkness.”
Following his conviction, Harris was stripped of his CBE which he received after painting the Queen‘s 80th birthday portrait.
Harris, who was released on licence nearly three years after his sentencing, had one count overturned but was refused permission to appeal others by the court.
He was diagnosed with neck cancer last year and reportedly cannot speak or eat without the help of a tube.
Rolf Harris: Hiding In Plain Sight will air on ITVX from May 18.