Woman unable to sleep after being attacked by men while out on run in Colchester
"Physically I'll recover, but mentally it's starting to take its toll already"
A woman has been left unable to sleep after being assaulted by three men in Colchester while out on a run.
23 year-old Cait Smith was out running at around 10pm last Tuesday (4 May) when it happened in Castle Park.
Cait told Greatest Hits Radio Essex about the impact the incident has had on her:
"Physically I'll recover, but mentally it's starting to take its toll already.
"I can't sleep because when I close my eyes I can feel them on top of me still.
"I can't go out at night really because I feel like they're there.
"So mentally it's overwhelming and I don't know how long it's going to affect me for.
"I don't know when I'll be able to go running again which is sad because I love doing that and they've taken that away from me."
She decided to post photos of her injuries online which went viral with five-and-a-half thousand shares on Facebook.
But, not all of the comments on the post have been supportive:
"People have personally messaged me as well, mainly men, saying that it's my fault, I shouldn't have put myself at risk, worse should've happened to me.
"Sort of victim blaming."
Cait added she did not want to scare people, but she thinks "sometimes it has to be that way otherwise people just won't listen":
"Violence like this just needs to stop against women.
"We shouldn't feel unsafe going for a run, just simply exercising or walking home at night.
"It's not fair that we have to live by a different clock to what a man does just in case someone wants to attack us."
Essex Police has confirmed the investigation continues.