This year has been one of up's and down's, a lot of tears and distress but is ending on an almighty high as all the anxiety that my girls and I have endured melts slowly away to be replaced once again with smiles and laughter.

Earlier this year I found myself in a dreadful and frightening position, my safe address, our safety net was being threatened and along with that I had the German accounts harassing and threatening me both online and off when I was followed to an event and approached.

In January of this year my ex husband was re-arrested and back in court, this time I had the evidence and so he pleaded guilty to counts of harassment and breaking the restraining order and was given 60 hours unpaid work, my RO was extended until 2015.  Many, many times I pleaded with those that pursued me online to understand and I promised I would eventually reveal my true identity once myself and my girls were safe.  Unfortunately the online abusers were relentless and so in order to defend myself and OneVoice Never Silenced I tweeted pictures of my ex's conviction for battery, the restraining order and disclosed my real name, did they stop no and to date they still haven't stopped and it is now once again part of a police investigation.

There have been moments when I have wanted to break, to give up and throw in the towel but then I found the strength once again to fight back against abuse and bullying because I have a job to do.

Whilst going through the court case I mentally retraced my steps through the process that I encountered when I escaped and this is when I came up with Eve's Marker.  Late one night I couldn't sleep and so began to scribble, before I knew it it was almost 3am but my smile was immense as I read over my notes knowing that the marker had the capability to protect so many victims. 

Over the next few weeks I conducted more research and then presented my idea's to David Malone and Sarah Day - they loved it and so Eve's Marker was created.

Eve's Marker, if passed as legislation would have two tiers, a provisional and permanent, the marker would stay for life.  Too much money is wasted in renewal of anti molestation orders/restraining orders and many perpetrators as we know never give up their control so for a victim to have the knowledge that they are protected for life is needed.  I also have conducted extensive research since my visit to Scotland on the anti molestation process and feel very confident in saying that Eve's Marker could and should replace the anti molestation process and thus save our country millions of pounds yet our victims will be much better protected and cocooned as they won't have to endure the civil courts to obtain the anti mol.  I also wish to state that Bad Character Applications should be a matter of course for all domestic violence/abuse cases, 60 hours unpaid work for breaking a restraining order is neither sufficient nor acceptable and had a bad character application been carried out on my ex he would undoubtedly have gone to prison because of his record.

Too many "mistakes" are being made, too many victims are being placed at risk and directly into the firing line of danger, it is time this changed.  Clare's Law is marvellous but I feel also has some failings and any enquiry made under it should never be taken as gospel due to under reporting, Eve's Marker/Law will strengthen Clare's Law as more victims will report if they feel their safety is of paramount importance.

Victims safety is and should be the first thing that is thought about because:

Safer victims = better reporting = stronger witnesses = conviction = strengthens Clare's Law.

I hope you are all having an amazing weekend and I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported not only myself but this fantastic piece of proposed legislation.  At first I was embarrassed when David Malone and his team named our campaign after me but that has now gone, now I stand proud and as tall as I can, I am honoured this bears my name.

This time a life does not have to be lost in the name of new legislation.

Eve's Law Eve's Marker

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas that is filled with laughter and smiles and I hope you will share those smiles with others, you never know it really could make someones day.

Thank you

Eve x