Australian Story S30E29 - Only Fifteen - Sarah Kopp
Summary:
"If just one teacher had asked me directly, ‘Are you okay?'...my entire life could have looked different." - Sarah Kopp.
Sarah Kopp was a talented 15-year-old student when a charismatic sports teacher, 31-year-old Paul Grealy, arrived at her school and upended her life .
In many ways it was a textbook case of grooming - the compliments that made Sarah feel ‘special', the accidental touches that became deliberate, then the regular sexual interactions at her home.
But it didn't end there.
Sarah married and had a family with her former teacher.
Which is what makes her fight for justice, 20 years later, that much more remarkable.
"It was important that justice was sought and this person, you know, was accountable", Sarah says, talking about the difficult decision to go to police.
"It is a courageous step to take to come and report", says the police officer who investigated her complaint.
In 2024, Paul Grealy was convicted of a number of charges, including one count of maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child.
Sarah has now set up Step in For Kids, a foundation whose aim is to educate teachers and students about the dangers of grooming.
"This didn't just happen to Sarah when she was 15", says childhood friend Amanda French. "The ripple effect that this has had on Sarah's life, Sarah's family, Sarah's career ... that's a lifelong impact."
