In January 2023, I moved into my own place. It was my first time living alone, the start of my
independence, and I was so happy. But just 3 months later, in April 2023 that happiness, my
sense of safety and my mental health were violently taken from me. I was sexually assaulted
and raped in my own home.
I am sharing this not for sympathy or pity. I am sharing it to tell my truth, to hold the
authorities accountable for a horrendous lack of care, and to prevent this from happening to
anyone else.
Immediately after the assault, I did what I was ‘supposed’ to do, I reported it. The police
gathered extensive evidence: DNA, used tissues, clothing, bedding and blood tests. I had
physical injuries, including bruising on my arm, face and intimate areas. I had witnesses to
the events leading up to the assault and witnesses I confided in immediately after.
Despite this mountain of evidence, the police investigation was a shambles from the start. It
took 2 months just to take my video statement. For nearly 3 years I was left in the dark, often
going without communication. When I did hear from them, it was usually through cold, copy
and pasted text messages that showed zero compassion for the trauma I was reliving every
day.
The timeline of this case has been a series of endless adjournments and delays. I even had
to find out about the suspects plea through a news article because the police failed to
contact me.
After years of waiting, a trial date was finally set for January 19 th 2026. I spent months
preparing myself, visiting court and meeting with witness care team. I was ready to finally get
justice.
Then on 17 th December 2025, just weeks before the trial, I received an email. The case was
being dropped.
The CPS dropped the charges because of a single snapchat message containing my
postcode. I have been honest from the start; I do not recall sending that message. He had
followed me home against my clearly expressed wishes, and I had a witness who seen me
repeatedly tell him I did not want to see him that night.
The most devastating part, I was told at a meeting with the CPS that the police failed to
correctly analyse or submit his phone data when they first received it over a year ago. Had
they done their jobs properly, I wouldn’t have been dragged through 3 years of false hope. I
would have known the outcome a year earlier.
The system has made it clear that because they couldn’t disprove that one message, my
physical injuries and DNA meant nothing. If I had lied and said I invited him over but didn’t
consent to have sex, he would have been prosecuted. But because I told the truth, that I did
not invite him, I will never get justice.
He walked away with zero consequences.
I have filed a formal complaint. The way this case was handled, the delays, the lack of
communication, and the investigative failures have made processing my trauma infinitely
harder.
Our truth matters, even when the system fails to protect it. I am speaking out so that the next
victim doesn’t have to endure the same shambles I did.