Stephanie

Retraumatizing, I guess, would be the best word for it.

I was still struggling to put the pieces together.

I don't remember everything because I did dissociate and there are aspects that I don't recall.

As a reminder, not only was John drugging Ember, she was dissociating during his attacks.

Her mind went completely dark as a way of protecting itself from harm.

Her memories were cloudy at best.

So when she went to the cops, they dismissed her.

And they're like, we can't really use your testimony.

Like, we need this happened at this time and where it happened.

On top of that, Ember didn't have the physical evidence necessary to file charges.

I didn't have a sane exam done right after the attack.

I didn't have a drug panel done to prove that there was anything in my system.

I just had his words to a pastor in a room that that had taken place.

They're like, the best we can do is a temporary order of restraint.

And even then, once that's up, you kind of have to reapply for it.

In order to reapply for it, you have to prove that he's trying to contact you.

And so you can't just have this indefinitely.

And it was just really disheartening of like, I have no legal ability to protect myself.

I have to wait for him to hurt someone else or hurt me in order to prove that he's a dangerous person.

Ember's case was at a standstill.