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Today I was rescued – by my friends in Australia. They had some practical advice: to call Life Line and the Rape Crisis Centre in Sydney. I rang them and they were wonderful, and told me to just get Laura to Australia and they’ll help.

I also re-read the book, Surviving Rape, and realised that I’d taken on some of the symptoms of rape – powerlessness, fear, loss of self esteem and worth, the feeling of being based and violated, depression. This helped me to understand my feelings, and so cope with them. By now, I also had a much deeper understanding of the trauma my mother has been through – the intense, utter, devastating trauma. And the even more devastating aftermath – the neglect, the guilt, the way all those around her seemed to be implying it had been her fault (a classic rape reaction), the insensitivity and lack of understanding from doctors and even neighbours, friends and family. Not to mention that the extent of the physical bashing was so extreme, that she is lucky to be alive.