This Is My Story (TW)
In the early hours of October 19th 2001, I was sleeping in a friend's spare bedroom. I worked with my friend and she meant a lot to me. I awoke to find my friend's husband raping me. Once it was over, I crept out of the house and ended up in the near-by A&E department. I then endured a six month wait until the trial in April 2002. My 'friend' sided with her husband and went on the sick. I returned to work two weeks later with emense support from my employer who was stuck in the middle of all of this.
Eventually, she came back to work, so I had to make up my hours elsewhere. This didn't last for long, however, as my 'friend' attacked me one day outside of work. She was fired, and I got my full time job back.
By now it was just weeks until the trial and then the harrassment started. I was followed by 'his' family, on foot and by car. I had mysterious phonecalls in the middle of the night. But I wasn't to be detered.
The trial came and lasted three days, I gave evidence over two of those days for 5 hours. The system does not favour the victim. I had little preperation, unlike 'him'.
There was so much hassle and trouble from his family at the court house that me, my family and friends stayed away for the verdict.
After watching the clock on the morning that the jury was out, the call finally came. He was found guilty by unanimous verdict. He was to be sentenced four weeks later but to be free until then.
Relief washed over me, but little did I know it was not over yet. Ten days later I was followed home from work and brutally attacked by 'his' sister. I only knew who it was because the people that helped me new the woman who was attacking me.
I now feared living. More harrassment started with knocking on my door and trying to get in in the middle of the night. I was too scared to even go downstairs to the bathroom. As darkness fell every night I drank myself to sleep.
My rapist was sentenced to five years imprisonment, his sister, to two years.
I quit my job from stress and moved back to my parents not knowing what I was going to do next in my life. I pushed everything down and tried to move on.
Five months later his sister was released from prison without the authorities telling me. Angry was an understatement.
I completed a course, got a new job and moved to a new town - where my former employer - who were now very good friends of mine, lived.
I walked through my life, and just went on autopilot. The I heard the news my rapist would be released. He was released in November 2004 after serving just half of his sentence. On the plus side - if there is such a thing, his probation officer told me he admitted what he had done in prison, not much comfort to me now.
So now I have to heal and I thought I could share this journey by way of a blogger journal. I will put (TW) as a trigger warning against any material that may potentially trigger a reader. I will post peotry, stories and writing material that I use in my workbook and with my counsellor - when I get one!
Please keep visiting my site as I will gradually build it up to include helpful links and advice etc.
Keep safe, Laura
Eventually, she came back to work, so I had to make up my hours elsewhere. This didn't last for long, however, as my 'friend' attacked me one day outside of work. She was fired, and I got my full time job back.
By now it was just weeks until the trial and then the harrassment started. I was followed by 'his' family, on foot and by car. I had mysterious phonecalls in the middle of the night. But I wasn't to be detered.
The trial came and lasted three days, I gave evidence over two of those days for 5 hours. The system does not favour the victim. I had little preperation, unlike 'him'.
There was so much hassle and trouble from his family at the court house that me, my family and friends stayed away for the verdict.
After watching the clock on the morning that the jury was out, the call finally came. He was found guilty by unanimous verdict. He was to be sentenced four weeks later but to be free until then.
Relief washed over me, but little did I know it was not over yet. Ten days later I was followed home from work and brutally attacked by 'his' sister. I only knew who it was because the people that helped me new the woman who was attacking me.
I now feared living. More harrassment started with knocking on my door and trying to get in in the middle of the night. I was too scared to even go downstairs to the bathroom. As darkness fell every night I drank myself to sleep.
My rapist was sentenced to five years imprisonment, his sister, to two years.
I quit my job from stress and moved back to my parents not knowing what I was going to do next in my life. I pushed everything down and tried to move on.
Five months later his sister was released from prison without the authorities telling me. Angry was an understatement.
I completed a course, got a new job and moved to a new town - where my former employer - who were now very good friends of mine, lived.
I walked through my life, and just went on autopilot. The I heard the news my rapist would be released. He was released in November 2004 after serving just half of his sentence. On the plus side - if there is such a thing, his probation officer told me he admitted what he had done in prison, not much comfort to me now.
So now I have to heal and I thought I could share this journey by way of a blogger journal. I will put (TW) as a trigger warning against any material that may potentially trigger a reader. I will post peotry, stories and writing material that I use in my workbook and with my counsellor - when I get one!
Please keep visiting my site as I will gradually build it up to include helpful links and advice etc.
Keep safe, Laura
posted by Laura at 10:48 AM
1 Comments:
i would like to say, contratulations on reporting the crime commited against you, i was raped at the age of 19, im now 55, i never repoted the crime, but was able to get on with my life as i have a strong personality. not enough people report the crime because of fear and the justice system stinks, there are so many that go unreported, but showed courage and determination and deserve to be applauded, good luck for the future you deserve it.
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