I could see a particularly big
gash on my leg and, being a
doctor, I knew I should try to
put pressure on the wound with
my hands. I thought that I was
going to bleed to death, when
suddenly, he started pouring
petrol over me.
I’d accepted that I might
die that day, but being doused
in petrol took it to a whole
other level. I thought, I’m going
to burn alive and my family is not
going to be able to recognise me.Six weeks earlier
In August, 2016, I moved to
Port Macquarie for work – I’m
an obstetrics and gynaecology
doctor and moved to work at
the hospital. I was away from
my family, lonely, bored and
getting over an ex. So I went
on a few dates with guys froma dating app. It was something
to do and a way to meet people.
Then I saw Paul’s profile.
In it he mentioned he liked
adventure and had spent some
time in the US, which is where
I lived until I was 15. He looked
nice in his photos and was in
his mid-thirties. I was looking
for someone a bit older, so we
started chatting. He lived four
and a half hours away from me,
in Sydney, so we got to know
each other via phone calls. He
seemed like a normal guy.
Not long after we’d started
chatting, he f lew up to Port
Macquarie for our first date.
He’d booked dinner at a tapas
place and treated me well. Itwas fun getting to know each
other and I was f lattered by
the attention.
He had booked a hotel, so
he went back there and I went
back to my place. The next day
we met up for brekkie and went
for a walk. I was like, “Oh my
gosh, a guy is interested in me
again, maybe there’s happiness
in my future...”
While I could see lots of
positives, he was also quite
intense. I think that’s the first
thing that put me off. About a
month into it, he seemed quite
smitten and I wasn’t. I didn’t
want to hurt him so I tried to
break it off, saying I thought
we should just be friends.A second chance
He was upset – incredibly so- and I felt awful. I had a gut
feeling warning me, but he
was doing everything right
and begging me for another
chance. I told myself maybe
I was just running scared, so
I f lipped and said yes.
But then his controlling
behaviour escalated to a point
where he was stalking me. I
told him, “Don’t contact me,
I don’t want to see you again.”
On Sunday night, October
30, I got home from being
out with my family and was
shocked to see him waiting for
me at my house. I was scared
‘Somehow I
managed to stand
up and, looking
down at my legs,
I saw my jeans
were saturated in
blood from where
he’d stabbed me
with his knife.
Angela is
determined to
help end violence
against women.102 COSMOPOLITAN.com.au TO SUBSCRIBE CALL 136 116