When you’re alone and at your most vulnerable, the kind heart and listening ear of a stranger can provide a life-transforming experience.
According to one physical assault survivor, the Centre Against Abuse picked him up at his lowest ebb, coaxed him through his immediate trauma and then guided him back to a better place.
The man had suffered head injuries in the attack in his own home.
“As a male victim this was a crazy ordeal,” he recalled.
“I had to control myself and practise restraint while the attack was occurring. Afterwards, I spoke to the police, then I had to get to the hospital myself to get my wounds checked, and then back to the police station to give a report.
“It was very traumatic because I had to do it all by myself. That whole process took eight hours. I didn’t leave the police station until 1 in the morning.”
The survivor said he felt it was unsafe to return home, so he stayed at a friend’s house overnight.
“I didn’t go to work the next day,” he said. “All I kept saying was I need help. A liaison officer from the police gave me a call and put me in touch with Laurie Shiell from the Centre Against Abuse.
“After that, I have been so much better, from the first meeting in a safe location which allowed me to express my understanding of what happened.
“They’ve done everything to assist me. I’m very grateful to her and the Centre Against Abuse.”
The Centre Against Abuse helped the man obtain a Domestic Violence Protection Order against his assailant and was given regular counselling sessions to deal with the trauma.
“The hardest thing is living with it, trying to go about your day-to-day and be the best you can,” he said.
“The best thing they said is that, being a male victim, I had to remove the male out of it and say I’m a human being.
“My counsellor has been phenomenal. I don’t miss a session. It’s the best thing every weekend. We talk about an array of things. We talk about the incident. She has given me the tools, making me know it’s OK and I’m not alone. I love counselling. It allows me to function and understand it’s OK to feel.”
The man encouraged any victims to consider the Centre Against Abuse as a safe place to put your life back together.
“I wouldn’t be able to function day-to-day if it wasn’t for them,” he said.
“I’m grateful for Laurie and her team. They have made me feel human. I’m very grateful. Very grateful.
“Abuse is not normal and one can’t normalise it, whether it’s mental or physical. You just need to seek assistance immediately, regardless of whether you are male or female.”
