An Australian woman who developed 2,500 personalities to deal with the abuse she suffered from her father has watched him get locked away, after having to testify against him earlier this year.
Jennifer Haynes was raped and molested by her father between 1974 and 1981. The abuse started when she was just four years old, and continued until Jennifer was 11.
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7 News reports that, in order to cope with the abuse, Jennifer ended up developing dissociative identity disorder - which means she now has 2,500 different personalities.
However, Jennifer was able to leave Downing Centre District Court in Sydney with a huge smile on her face today (6 September), knowing her father, Richard, had finally come to justice.
New South Wales District Court judge Sarah Huggett sentenced Richard Haynes to 45 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to 25 offences including rape.
Richard's sentence also has a non-parole period of 33 years.
9 News reporter Kelly Fedor tweeted to say Richard refused to look at his daughter as he was led off.
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While Jennifer knows her father's time in prison won't erase the cruelty he inflicted on her during childhood - which she did not report to the police until she was 39 - she did say she could now live her life.
She said: "It's my life now, isn't it - it's mine. I can have my life and do all the things I've always wanted to do.
"I can live with him in a jail. I don't have to think about it ever again.
"I cannot speak highly enough of the judge because she has recognised in her sentence that I need this to end, I need my life to be about me."
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Jennifer had to relive the trauma from her youth for two hours as the judge detailed the 25 offences her father pleaded guilty to.
But Jennifer hopes her bravery of speaking out about her abuser will give courage others to do the same.
As Jennifer walked out of the court, a reporter asked her: "Tell us how you're going?"
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She replied: "Forty-five years, holy s***.
"I was hoping for 25, so I just got a massive bonus.
"I'm ecstatic, I could not be happier. I think that the judge was brilliant - she recognised the enormity of what he did and the enormity of the impact, because it's not just me, people who abuse children, the impact they put on that child, goes forever.
"What worried me was that he would get a short non-parole period and I would have to go back to court and do it all over again."
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Featured Image Credit: 9 News
Topics: World News, News, Australia