'Your injuries fade but the mental torture stays with you forever'

A Yorkshire woman who was subjected to a violent attack and months of mental torture at the hands of her abusive ex partner has spoken of the importance of victims seeking professional help to deal with lasting psychological effects.
By Lucy Leeson
Published 4th Nov 2019, 17:00 BST
Stefan Carr was jailed for 11 years.Stefan Carr was jailed for 11 years.
Stefan Carr was jailed for 11 years.

Bethany Marchant, 24, was attacked by Stefan Carr at his home in Castelford on May 5.

The attack, which was captured on his CCTV, saw him place a noose around her neck as he tried to hang her.

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He also placed a pillow over her face and tried to suffocate her during the prolonged attack.

Bethany Marchant, 24, was attacked by Stefan Carr at his home in Castelford on May 5.Bethany Marchant, 24, was attacked by Stefan Carr at his home in Castelford on May 5.
Bethany Marchant, 24, was attacked by Stefan Carr at his home in Castelford on May 5.

Carr was jailed for 11 years back in September.

Despite the physical injuries she received, Miss Marchant says the psychological effect the attack had on her is worse.

“Your injuries can fade, but what happens will stay on your mind forever,” she said.

“Although he was sentenced to 11 years in prison this is not the end for me.

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“Although it has given me a bit of closure it is still a struggle.”

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She said: “If I can get one message out there to others who are in a similar situation it is to speak out and get help.

“I wish I had been brave enough at the time to get help and not let it get to the point that it did, but I am getting help now and I will start my counselling sessions later this month.

“For me, it has really helped sharing my story and speaking about what happened, but I just want other people to speak out and get help.

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Miss Marchant has revealed that since speaking out about her ordeal, she has been contacted by other victims of domestic abuse, stalking and coercive control, from across the world.

“One woman contacted me from New Zealand, which was just incredible,” she said.

“This is happening to so many people and if we can just speak out about it I think it will really help.

Miss Marchant has also advised victims on vital ‘warning signs’ to look out for indicating

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She said: “With hindsight, when I look back, I can see a couple of warning signs.

“He would be texting me all the time and harassing me if I was out without him and then obviously this just escalated into something far far worse.

“If you recognise these signs then you need to confide in someone and don’t let it get any worse.

Miss Marchant is now in touch with Leeds Women’s Aid and will share her experience at a special event next month.