THE SINS OF THE STEPFATHER

The Hustler Files with Lisa Reilly - Stories That Challenge What You Thought You Knew

Will Soper was first arrested at the age of eleven, defending himself against the man who was his stepfather. This was not the first time Will had been sexually abused, but it was the first time he fought back and sadly his mother took his stepfather's side. Despite the toxicity of the family, he was never given any mental health or other counseling and was continually sent back to his mother and stepfather when the foster care system failed him. Will's abusive upbringing led to a justice involved life, culminating in the sexual assault of a person he knew. Now at 42, Will is finally out of prison and free of parole, but his time served and a personal apology to his victim cannot wipe away his sexual assault charge from his record. In Will's own words, '…all I want to do is just work, even if it means washing dishes, I don't care…. I can't go back to jail; I'd rather hold court in the street…'.