I was afraid to speak in case it cracked my make-up. I became completely tongue tied when with the opposite sex and ended up having nothing to say for myself. I remember when I first became aware of boys I noticed (in films) that women sat quietly, looking beautiful so I tried to do the same.

I’m no expert on this but when I was a teenager I was hugely influenced by what I saw on television, movies and in newspapers and magazines. How much do media influence sex and behaviour in your opinion? Sometimes accuracy has to give way to that. It’s important to get these things right but more important is to get the emotional journey of the main character right. I was also a jury member on two occasions so I had memories of that. I also had a contact who worked in criminal law and I leant on him for some details. I researched court procedures on the internet, there’s lots of information on CPS websites, Rape Crisis and that of the Metropolitan Police. What was researching the trial procedures for No Shame like?

Stacey’s life was important to me what were her hopes and dreams? Who did she care for? What were the difficult parts of her life? And how these things led up to her being manipulated and used. A teenage girl wanting to have sex with a boy she liked a lot, and being ‘passed across’ to someone else. I wanted to examine a single instance where this might happen. There had been several cases in the news of teenage (and older) girls who had been raped by men who took advantage of the victim’s vulnerability, either because of their age or circumstances. Why did you want to write Stacey’s story? if so Stacey will ned to find a way to rebuild her life again… Interview with Anne Cassidy Suddenly it seems that she may not be believed and that the man who attacked her may be found not guilty. But nothing in life it seems is black and white and life is not always fair or just. Stacey Woods has been raped and now she has to go through a different ordeal – the court trial.

From the author of the critically acclaimed, LOOKING FOR JJ, shortlisted for the Whitbread Prize in 2004 and the Carnegie Medal in 2005.

No shame anne cassidy