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I was violently attacked and raped by a young black British teenager once. I was held hostage for 8 hours and my blood was over the walls and I had to go through a 2 week court trial. He cut me and drank my blood. I had to look at numerous pictures of bruises and cuts on me that the police photographed and pictures of the blood over the walls, during the upsetting, nerve-wrecking, and traumatic court trial where I stand-up in front of lots of people to give evidence and had to relive it all for the barristers and jurors.
I spent hours in hospital being examined and had to take sleeping pills for a month afterwards. I wasn't allowed to wash the broken glass from my hair until the police and medical examiners had documented all of my injuries.
My attacker also exposed himself to nurses in the hospital who treated my injuries. I had to go through counselling. The national media sensationalised it unfortunately, and some of the things they printed weren't quite accurate. I never spoke to the media, but the police forewarned me that they were present in the courtroom. The media weren't allowed to name me to protect my identity... but they named my attacker in numerous news articles.
I was offered large sums of money to do interviews with journalists, but I took my mother's advice and declined to give any interviews to the media to protect my identity. Journalists got hold of my number and they kept ringing me for several months with offers of thousands of pounds to do interviews with them. I just wanted some peace though.
Did I take it out on all black people, for what that individual maniac did to me? Did I take it out on all people with dark hair and brown eyes? No, because I'm mentally stronger than that. I went to counselling and had lots of support and help from my boyfriend and good friends and relatives. (My own son is half black, and his father and other black people I know as good friends were outraged over what happened to me and they supported me.)
Justice was served as I received a large sum in compensation and my attacker was found guilty by the jury of all 6 charges against him... and he was sent to a high security prison for 13 years. Probation workers keep me informed on him. He was initially taken to the Old Bailey court (the UK's top crown court) after he was arrested when black security guards and the police took his hands off me in the hospital.
The police told me that the reason why he was taken to the UK's top court before the trial happened 6 months later, was due to the way he was presenting himself during his police interviews. The police told me that he's the type of maniac who would kill someone if they released him. So he had to stay incarcerated until the trial.
He tried to intimidate me in the courtroom by touching himself and punching his head whilst I was tearfully giving evidence of the attack. Then he yelled abuse at the judge and accused the jury of being 'racist' and 'biased' for finding him guilty of all 6 charges against me and also against two nurses who also pressed charges against him. He was ordered to undergo a psychiatric assessment by the judge until he was sentenced 1 month later. The judge gave him the maximum sentence possible.
I suffered from shock and a lot of bruises, which healed. My ear was cut and required some stitches in hospital. I went to counselling sessions for a year afterwards.
I've met nice people and I've also encountered horrible people from all races and nationalities in London.... so I know from life experience that people are individuals with their own souls.
Maybe one day I'll give interviews with magazines when I feel ready, and if I can remain anonymous... and if it helps other victims of violent attacks to speak-out in court. Many females are too afraid and nervous to go through the court trial. I nearly backed-out at the last minute. I phoned Operation Sapphire at the police station the day before the trial commenced - and told them I can't go through with seeing him again in court. They encouraged me to give evidence in court as it would prevent him from being able to harm me or any other female and would bring justice. I was shaking in the court room due to my nerves. The police in the Operation Sapphire rape department supported me a lot.
If I ever decide to give interviews to womens magazines to encourage other victims of crimes to seek justice, I wish to remain anonymous - as I don't want random strangers to recognise me in the street if I give public interviews - and think, 'Oh, that's the poor female who was violently raped.' I don't want pity or to be regarded as a helpless victim... I've moved-on from it now and I just want a normal life.
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