Natalie Collins made her own allegation against former partner Aaron Swan but he was found not guilty following a trial (Picture: North News)
‘The stories men tell about redemption are about bad men becoming good men.
‘But for women, the act of being saved comes from the way they care for and love one another in light of what men have done to them.’
Natalie Collins isn’t speaking generally. Last year, she sat in court for weeks listening to and supporting three women who had been manipulated and abused by a man named Aaron Swan.
She had made her own allegation against him nearly two decades earlier, but was left shattered when a jury believed his account over hers and Swan was allowed to go free.
After picking up the pieces and rebuilding her life, Natalie, 40, set up a course she hoped would help those subjected to domestic violence in the same way therapy helped her.
More than 14,000 women have found support on her Own My Life course since its inception in 2020 – including another young woman unfortunate enough to have fallen into Swan’s possessive orbit.
The two of them, along with two of Swan’s other victims, banded together to form a sisterhood that finally ensured he could not continue the campaign of rape and abuse he had subjected them – and likely many others – to over the course of some 30 years.
He was eventually found guilty of six charges — four counts of rape, one of sexual assault and one of abusive behaviour against one of them —and jailed for six years.
An order for lifelong restriction attached to that sentence means he’ll never be released without supervision.
‘The horrifying thing was that if the police had done their job in 2006, he wouldn’t have been able to rape so many other women,’ Natalie says.
‘This is a man who has been raping girls since he was a teenager, and it took until he was nearly 40 for the seriousness of his dangerousness to be recognised.’
What to do if you’ve been raped
If you have been the victim of rape, either recently or historically, and are looking for help, support is out there.
If you have recently been raped and you are still at risk, ring 999 and ask for the police. Otherwise, the first step is to go somewhere you are safe.
If you want to report your rape to the police, ring 999 or the police non-emergency line on 101. An Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA) will often be on hand to help you through reporting and even after you have made a statement, you can still decide to withdraw from the criminal justice process at any time.
If you plan on going to the police, if possible, do not wash your clothes or shower, bathe or brush your teeth. If you do get changed, keep the clothes you were wearing in a plastic bag. These steps will help to preserve any DNA evidence your attacker may have left on your body or clothes.
If you don’t …read more
Source:: Metro
