NEWS > 23 November 2006

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Evesham Journal - UK
23 November 2006

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Half-dressed, dirty, tramautis

When rape victim Carole Owens arrived at the police station, she thought the worst was over.

"All hell let loose as I was herded through into the station. I was giving them my testimony in the process. I told the police that I last saw my attacker heading for the Marine Ballroom.

"It was chaotic, instructions were being given to get people in, Ben (her dog) was taken away from me; the police told me they were going to kennel him overnight and take hair samples from him.

"I was asked whom they should contact. I told them my husband and gave them my home phone number. Police officers on duty that evening began rushing around."

When her husband, Tim, arrived she was not allowed contact with him and she started sobbing.

"I was then escorted upstairs into a poky little office and told to have a seat at the far end of this office. My clothes were still in a bundle clutched to my chest. I sat this way unattended for what must have been an hour, in a state of undress."

As police officers walked past, she said she felt like a "trapped and cage animal" until a female officer came and offered her a cup of tea.

"Then came the questioning and grilling; I was still in a state of undress. I think I made a statement at some point, but I was by now extremely traumatised and numb.

"Moral and ethical values and principles stood for nothing as I was made to feel like the criminal.

"The police attempted to discredit my testimony and my integrity. They interviewed my friends and work colleagues and in doing so they abused my right to anonymity.

"Evesham is a small town. The police investigated and delved into private and home life and by now everyone knew about me.

"They suggested I had fabricated the whole thing, adding that wasting police time was a criminal offence and that they, the police, would prosecute me. They informed me of the manpower and at what cost this accusation was creating."

She went on: "At one point, after so much badgering and bullying, I said: Okay, I've made it all up, if that's what you want to hear.' I was then asked: Is that the truth?' I replied: No.' "I was exhausted and desperate to go home, get a hot bath and scrub the lingering filth off me. The longer I sat in a state of undress, open to ridicule and contempt, the more vulnerable I became."

At around 1.30am - five or six hours after the attack - Carole was taken to Briar Close Hospital in Evesham, where she worked.

"Anonymity? No way. I worked at this hospital and I knew who would be the topic of conversation later that morning. I was embarrassed and felt so ashamed."

She was given a robe. Her clothes were taken away for testing and mud samples were taken from her leg. Tim went home for clothes.

"My GP eventually arrived. He was an elderly doctor. I was told there wasn't a female doctor available to perform an internal investigation. This was horrific - painful, humiliating and distressing."

After dressing, Carole was taken back to the park at around 3.30am.

"I retold the incident over and over again and still I was subjected to hostile comments and accusations.

"I was taken back to the police station for more questions; it was now getting on for daybreak. I had by now not slept since the evening of December 25 and I was still reliving the nightmare over and over."

She was eventually allowed home around 6am-6.30am but had to report back in five hours' time.

"I reported back to the police station only to go over and over the rape ordeal. A couple of days later detectives arrived from Worcester and yet again I had to go over it.

"It took a number of days before I was finally sat down before these detectives and asked: What would you say if we told you we now believed you."

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Article sourced from

Evesham Journal - UK23 November 2006

Half-dressed, dirty, tramautis

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Evesham Journal - UK
23 November 2006