A sports reporter who was raped has revealed how being a journalist has helped him deal with mental health struggles.

Callum Carson, of the West Lothian Courier, has spoken out on how his career has enabled him to deal with past traumas.

Callum battled depression from the age of 12 after dealing with traumatic events in his childhood, as well as being the victim of rape at the age of 19 and the subsequent court case.

A 2016 documentary about him, called ‘I’m Still Here’, has now been publicly released to mark Time to Talk Day, which aims to get people talking about their own mental health.

Discussing the documentary’s fresh release, Callum told the Daily Record: “The idea for the film was to show that there’s always hope for a brighter future, no matter how difficult things might be right now.

“It took me many years to figure out I needed help and then many years working with that help to figure out how I could live a full and happy life.

“There’s always support out there and it’s always good to talk. There’s professional help, you can chat to your friends and family or people you trust. It can make all the difference.

“For me, I had to evaluate every aspect of my life and figure out if it was having a positive or negative impact and then adapt around that.”

Callum, pictured, opened up in 2020 on the attack he was subjected to in a bid to encourage the survivors of Reynhard Sinaga, branded “the most prolific rapist in British legal history” by prosecutors, to seek professional counselling.

He added: “From a young age, sport has always been the one aspect of life where I’ve felt able to be myself and working within the world of sport and sports media has given me an opportunity to make the most out of my life.

“My mental health battle means that there are limitations around what I can allow my body and mind to do and living around those limitations is all part of the learning process.

“It can be a very challenging and tough journey for anyone struggling with their mental health, but there’s always help out there if you need it.”