"This isn’t something I did or had control over"- Victim of historic sexual assault tells her story
The victim of a series of horrific historic sexual assaults has spoken out about how her life has been affected since, and the impact it has had on her mental health.
The victim was brave enough to come forward in 2018, ten years after being subjected to the abuse, and reported the series of sexual assaults to Surrey Police.
Following an investigation 29 year old Freddie Elliot Millis of Manor Gardens, Shamley Green, was sentenced to 18 years in prison after being found guilty of multiple sexual offences against a child.
The offences, which included the rape of a child under 13 and sexual assault of a child, were committed over a two-year period when Millis was 16 years old.
Describing the impact of the abuse on her mental health in her victim impact statement, which was read out after Millis was convicted, the victim said:
“I don’t remember much of my childhood and think I have blocked it out as a way of coping with what happened to me. My short-term memory is poor which I think is related to this.
“For my A-Levels and UCAS application, I had to fill in forms and explain what has happened to me.
"Every time I explain it, all the feelings I had come flooding back and it is making is very difficult to cope with. This isn’t something I did or had control over so it is unfair that it is making things more difficult for me.
“It has affected my mental health and I have problems with anxiety which causes me to feel worried about my friends and be protective of them, especially when it comes to men.
“One positive thing to come out of it, is that it has inspired me to study law because it has made me very passionate about wanting to protect and help victims of crime in the future.”
There are support services available to help those affected.