This article is from page 4 of the 2007-03-20 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
MARY Shannon’s decision to go public last week and her call for mandatory sentences for rapists re- kindled memories for several other rape victims.
One Clare rape victim recalled horrific memories of her own or- deal, at the hands of her former partner.
The woman, who is from west Clare and who wished to retain her anonymity, said she was repeat- edly raped over a period of a long number of years but was too afraid to take a case against her attacker.
After going through prolonged pain for several years, she eventu- ally left him, five years ago.
“If he wasn’t raping me, he was beating me. I would refuse to have sex with him but he would force himself on me. I would get a belt anyway. I would lie to the doctor about my injuries.
‘“T reported it to gardai, but I didn’t go any further with it, because I felt I was the one that was in the wrong. I have been feeling guilty all my life,’ she said.
Not only was she afraid to make a statement to gardai, but she was also in fear of telling her family
what she was going through.
“IT was afraid to make a statement in case I hurt his feelings. He had a hold over me. It was up to me to walk away but I couldn’t,” she said.
She eventually managed to tear herself away and she fled.
“It was very hard to walk away from it. He cut my breasts and that was the end of it,” she said.
She attended counselling at the Rape Crisis Centre, but believes the psychological effects of her ordeal will remain with her forever.
She said that Mary Shannon’s de- cision to go public has inspired con- fidence in her and, in hindsight, she
regrets not pressing charges against her attacker.
“T regret not going ahead with it. I always get angry when I hear some- thing like this (Mary Shannon’s case). I have come a long way, but you have to get help,” she said.
“My advice to other women would be to report incidents like this… fast. You never forget. You start drinking or using drugs to dull the pain. It works for a while, but then you become addicted and you are worse. The biggest thing I felt was anger and I would feel angry again when something like this happens again,” she said.