At first, life with the man was full of joy and shared experiences.
- I was very courted and we went out a lot, traveled and had fun together, Jenny says on the phone.
For a few years now, she has been living abroad with a protected identity because the relationship turned into a nightmare.
Struck and checked
- After a year or so, the first blow came and he became very aggressive, controlling and morbidly jealous.
I received hundreds of calls and text messages that I had to answer immediately.
He smashed the interior and cut my clothes.
Everything was wrong, my friends, my family, yes my whole existence was wrong.
It was a total reversal and I was of course very shocked.
The situation got worse with increasing threats and harassment.
Nevertheless, it took several years before Jenny went to the police.
- I was afraid of what would happen if I reported him.
He said he would kill both himself and me if I thought of reporting.
And if I were to report, I knew it would not lead to anything so there was like no way out.
"Be sick scared"
But in the end, the man's behavior became so threatening that she had to go to the police.
- I was threatened with death and was terribly scared and did not really dare to report but the police said that they had to make a report according to what I had told.
Jenny was forced to leave her home and go to a sheltered accommodation.
Eventually, the man was convicted of the crimes against her, but when he was released, she was advised by the police to move abroad because the man was still considered to pose a serious threat to her.
Forced to leave the family
Despite the fact that the man was convicted of the crimes against Jenny, she feels that she is the one who has been punished.
- I've lost my whole life.
My permanent job, my career.
I have been forced to leave my family, my friends and become financially destitute.
- It's me who lost my freedom.
Jenny is actually called something else.