Imagine being raped repeatedly over a period of 12 years by the same person and when you report it to police, instead of being helped and believed, you get jailed for your troubles. This is what happened to me. After I was raped twice by a stranger, police accused me of being a fantasist and they arrested me. I was raped a third time by the same man while awaiting trial for “perverting the course of justice,” but I didn’t dare report that rape for fear that they would bring more charges against me.
I was convicted, spent eight months in prison and six months on house arrest, only to be raped four more times by the same man – once in 2013, twice in 2019, and once in 2020. He gained entry to my house either by force or deceit – such as by posing as an Amazon delivery man. I can’t report any of these rapes to police because I don’t want to be arrested again. I’ve spent a fortune improving my home security after everything I’ve been through.
I’ve gotten through all this due to the unwavering support of family, friends, and advocates who have stood with me and believed me from the very beginning. Although my legal team at trial didn’t do a very good job, later on, when a different lawyer first looked at all my case materials and said “I believe you,” I was moved to tears. Finding the right people to help has made all the difference.
My survivor story is not over – we are still fighting my conviction, and I haven’t lost hope that one day my rapist will be identified and locked up. You can read more about my story here and here.