Mr. Sorenson’s instinct to pat Niamh’s knee suggests that he wishes to comfort her—but his refusal to believe her shows that his sympathy is entirely superficial. His horrifying comments reveal beliefs in misogynistic myths about rape, such as the idea that girls often imagine and embellish events. Further, his remark that those who “rely on the charity of others” shouldn’t “complain” implies an underlying suggestion that poor or orphaned children inherently have fewer rights, and thus less value, than more privileged children. His reminder that the world “isn’t a perfect place” is then tragically redundant, given that his audience is a young girl who already knows that truth all too well.