Thread by @sturdyAlex

THREAD By DM, wishes to remain anonymous.

TW/CW: rape, abuse, domestic violence

“The violence against me started when I was a child. My dad had rage issues and, whilst he hurt my mum and my sis, I was his preferred target.” 1/ #STFUSaturday

“After he died, I had an argument with my mum where she said 'yeah, but you used to wind him up...'.
I. Was. A. Child.
Also a grade A student, and sunny and kind (not that these things are prerequisites for not getting abuse).” 2/ #STFUSaturday

“It was never my behaviour that was the issue, it was always his uncontrolled temper. I used to have dreams he killed me.

Sexual harassment started from, I dunno, 13 years old probably - getting leered at and catcalled by blokes in vans or building sites.” 3/ #STFUSaturday

On public transport, I've been flashed, groped, and masturbated over. I also stepped in to assist a French student being groped by an older man.

Within work situations, I've been aggressively pursued to the point of feeling highly unsafe on many occasions.” 4/ #STFUSaturday

My team members (men and women) left me to fend for myself because they didn't want to get involved. Obviously, I've also been talked over, talked down to, dismissed, and relegated to minute-taker in meetings because I'm female in a mainly male environment. 5/ #STFUSaturday

“But then two years ago, at a work event, a bloke got me into his hotel room, wouldn't let me leave, and raped me. He injured me quite badly - I was still bleeding between the legs 16 hours later, ffs. That is simply not consensual.” 6/ #STFUSaturday

“I sought medical help soon after and reached out to the police at the first opportunity. The investigators were nice to me at the time. But the process is awful and skewed in the defence's favour.” 7/ #STFUSaturday

“He had legal help from Nov '19. The CPS barrister (who does not represent me, just the Crown) was assigned 2 weeks before the case. They tell you nothing - you walk in blind. The CPS barrister asked me nothing. The Defence grilled me for two hours.” 8/ #STFUSaturday

“At the end I said ‘may I say something?’ and the judge stepped in and said ‘no, you can't it doesn't work like that’. You're only allowed to reply to the questions asked of you. You're basically set up to fail from the get-go...” 9/ #STFUSaturday

“Unsurprisingly he was found Not Guilty last week, so now he's free to act like this to other women with impunity...

I'm so sorry, everyone. I really tried my best. <3” 10/10 #STFUSaturday