Rape survivor speaks out as sex assault reports in Northern Ireland reach an all time high
Note - Some readers may find the content of this report upsetting.
Winnie M Li was visiting Belfast in 2008 when her life changed forever.
The then 29-year-old American had gone for a walk in Colin Glen Forest Park in west Belfast when she was raped by a teenager.
‘’I received about 39 separate injuries, according to the police report. There was a 15-year-old boy who assaulted me, and that's kind of why I was a bit surprised at first that someone so young could be that violent. And yeah, without going into details, I was violently sexually assaulted and raped.’’
Winnie said the assault was just the beginning of her trauma. Unable to work on her return to London, she lost her job as a film producer and struggled with her mental health for a number of years.
‘’I suffered for years afterwards with severe anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. My life completely changed as a result,’’ she said.
Winnie is not alone. Sexual assaults here are more common than what is perceived. The majority are however not by a stranger as in Winnie’s case, but by someone known to the victim.
Figures released exclusively to UTV show there's been a 64% increase in people reporting sexual violence to the charity Nexus.
But in the same period, the latest police figures show just a 3.4% rise.
The CEO of Nexus Joanne Barnes has suggested that such a stark difference reflects that victims and survivors are still reluctant to engage with the criminal justice system.
‘’It’s about trust and it's about confidence. We hear a lot in the press about the delay of cases being handled by the judicial process and sensitivity within the police,’’ she told UTV.
‘’When people are coming forward to report there has to be more victim focus. Once we grow trust and confidence with police and other agencies, that will support reporting’’
Detective Superintendent Lindsay Fisher said there was still a stigma attached to reporting sexual violence and that many victims feel more comfortable engaging with other agencies before the police, but insisted that the PSNI were working to change that.
‘’We will always have victim attrition and I think we have come some way. Certainly in the work that we're doing with support agencies and with the PPS for instance it is changing but yes I think we can go even further,’’ she added.
Winnie’s rapist was caught and sentenced to eight years in prison. He served four.
Edward Connors has since been linked to other attacks. Most recently, he was jailed for ten years for assaulting and robbing an elderly woman in England.
Winnie M Li has criticised the criminal justice system for not protecting the public better.
‘’What is the point of the criminal justice system? If there has been somebody who has been convicted as a rapist and has served their time but then is out back out on the streets committing more crimes, traumatising more people, then the system is not doing its job.’’
Winnie’s first and highly acclaimed novel ‘Dark Chapter’ is based on her sexual assault and is written from the perspective of both the victim and the perpetrator.
She has since published her second book ‘Complicit’ which is about sex abuse within the film industry. It too has received rave reviews and was recently released as a paperback.
Winnie also became a mum two years ago - which she thought might never happen. When asked if she sees herself as a victim or a survivor - she answers both.
Proving the path out of trauma is complicated but possible.
If you need advice or support, call the 24hr Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline on 0808 802 1414, it is available 24/7 for any individual impacted by domestic or sexual abuse, either directly or indirectly. Webchat and email services are also available on dsahelpline.org and help@ dsahelpline.org. The DSA Helpline is hosted by Nexus on behalf of the Departments of Communities, Health and Justice.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, please contact
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