Chris Harper believes ‘Coronation Street’ has played a "small part in a big movement" to stop sexual predators.
The 39-year-old actor joined the longstanding soap six months ago to portray manipulative Nathan Curtis in the hard-hitting grooming plot involving 16-year-old Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon), and although the programme has been criticised as being too disturbing to watch, he believes the programme is encouraging victims to speak out so the culprits don’t get away with their crime.
He told OK! magazine: "We wanted to show it’s worth victims telling people. It was also important to show that victims can be so manipulated, they don’t even realise they’re being abused.
"It is nasty – sexual abuse is a horrific, life-changing crime – but perpetrators succeed because of people’s shame and fear. It thrives in secrecy. ‘Corrie’ is a small part in a big movement to stop these predators getting away with their crimes."
And Chris has admitted despite portraying the conniving male he still has people opening up to him about their personal battles with abuse, which has left him with "lumps" in his throat.
He explained: "Just the other day I was standing on a platform and one of the train guards shared his story of abuse with me. I’ve had lumps in my throat over the response.
"Other people are on the verge of tears because they’re saying it’s happened to them or they’re worried about their niece or a family member.
"When you actually look at the enormous response, it underlines that the story has the continued backing and support of the charities we work with, the survivors and the victims we talk to, and the vast majority of mums, dads, sons and daughters who communicate with us."
Chris Harper: ‘Corrie is a small part in a big movement to stop these predators’
