‘It would have cost £25,000 to see my court transcript’: The hidden cost of VAWG

Many survivors of abuse experience lingering financial and professional ramifications – and the impact of this on the larger economy is often overlooked (Picture: Getty Images)

‘I used to be a happy-go-lucky person – really positive and just got my teeth stuck into life,’ 33-year-old Flora* tells Metro. 

Then, in 2017, she was raped in her sleep. 

‘My love for life completely flipped after the incident,’ she remembers. ‘I lost myself mentally, physically and emotionally and gained weight from overeating and drinking a lot of alcohol.’

Nearly 10 years on, Flora is still feeling the impact...