“It’s not the monsters under the bed you need to be worried about, it is the ones you invite into your home.” These are the words of a woman who has spoken of how she believes a forensic marking spray saved her life. When her ex-partner attacked her one day and smashed her car up, she was left fearing for her life. Terrified of what he might do if he came back, she was offered several safety measures by Durham Constabulary, including SelectaDNA personal defence spray, which she accepted. This is a compact forensic marking device which, when sprayed, provides a unique DNA solution, linking the mark created directly to that device. The mark can remain on the body for weeks, and sometimes even months. To protect the victim’s identity in this case, we are not naming either the victim or her perpetrator. “I was starting to feel a bit confident with life,” she said. “Still upset because I genuinely did love the lad and feelings don’t just go away, although I hated him.” But one day she opened the door to find him pushing his way in. He started smashing things before he tried strangling her. As he did, she called the police, desperate for help. She also grabbed her spray. “Not being able to breathe was the scariest thing of my life,” she said. “I thought my daughter would be finding my body. “He knew once that was sprayed, he was going down for it. He wasn’t allowed near me. “Without that he might not have thought, he might have carried on that little bit longer. He might not have stopped when he did. It saved my life, it really did. “Too many people get away with domestic incidents. Abuse is not just being punched and hit; it is verbal as well. It’s psychological, gaslighting and all that kind of thing. “You don’t realise how miserable you are until you’re out of that situation and you look back and think how could I think that was love? “You make excuses in your head, he’s had a bad day, you never want to say it is just because he is outright bad and he’s a domestic abuser. “I will use it again, I will not think twice, it literally looks like a marker pen.” The man was sentenced to three years and two months after pleading guilty to actual bodily harm, non-fatal strangulation, criminal damage, and witness intimidation. She added: “I’m not where I want to be yet, but I am miles from where I was.” If you are suffering domestic abuse, please tell us - call 101, or 999 if you are in immediate danger. Reports can also be made online at www.durham.police.uk/ro/report/domestic-abuse/a1/report-domestic-abuse/ If you don’t want to speak to the police, there are other helplines available: • The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available 24 hours a day on 0808 2000 247. • Local charity, Harbour, is also available 24 hours a day on 03000 20 25 25. • The Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre (RSACC) offers free, specialist support to anyone who has experienced any form of sexual violence at any time in their lives. Call 01325 354119, email info@rsacc-thecentre.org.uk or visit www.rsacc-thecentre.org.uk The above services support both men and women.