When Danielle* was raped, it was by someone she knew. A few years on, she still finds it hard to say the word.

It’s no surprise given all she’s been through – but the damage isn’t just down to her attacker, she’s also been left traumatised by the justice system.

Danielle tells Metro that the day after her assault, she phoned the police only to be told by an officer: “Do you really think it’s a good idea to report this?”

‘He explained to me what I was likely to experience and implied that I shouldn’t bother. He terrified me,’ she remembers.

It took nine months for Danielle to find the strength to officially report her assault and another four years before the case went to trial – only for the defendant to be found not guilty.

Waiting years for a rape case to go to court only to see the

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