Odessa
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Odessa is a First Nations woman in her 30s.
She lives with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety.
When she was young she was a competitive swimmer, but things changed after she moved to the country when she started year 6.
Odessa attended a religious school and at the end of the year was told ‘she was not smart enough’ to continue her education in the religious system.
She moved to the state school system but stopped going to school midway through year 7.
Odessa told the Royal Commission she disengaged from education early because she was neglected and no-one helped her transition from primary school to high school.
When Odessa was 14, she was ‘kidnapped and held captive’ for two weeks. She was ‘repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped’. She was told if she left the remote rural property she ‘would be shot by the neighbour’.
Naked, Odessa escaped and hid in the bushes. The neighbour came to her aid, gave her clothes and took her to the police station.
She was taken to hospital and interviewed by a detective. The doctor was compassionate and the detective was understanding but no charges were laid and her case never went to court. No-one offered Odessa support and she didn’t understand the criminal justice process. She would have liked someone to explain her rights and the importance of giving testimony.
Not knowing where to go for help, Odessa started drinking alcohol and taking illegal drugs.
A few years later she was violently raped again, this time by her dealer. She didn’t tell anyone for weeks but when she finally did go to the police, a female police officer told her ‘she deserved to be raped’. Odessa assumed she meant because she was using illegal drugs. She felt the police officer condoned the rape.
Odessa recognises that her drug use has impacted her life significantly.
Her journey to recovery has been difficult because she lives with domestic violence.
Recently her partner was served with an apprehended violence order.
While Odessa would like to reunite with her children’s father she’s determined not to breach the order. ‘I’ll have my children taken from me.’
‘Support for victims of domestic violence and rape is inadequate or often non-existent in both rural and Aboriginal communities,’ Odessa said. ‘The subject of rape and violence remains “taboo” and … people living with a drug or alcohol dependency are often excluded from support.’
‘Services didn’t want to help me, because I was using drugs, it was like I wasn’t good enough to get help!’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.