Sexual Assault Survivor Chloe Wilson Waives Anonymity to Advocate for Others

A young woman, who experienced sexual assault by a taxi driver while being driven home following an evening out, has expressed her desire to serve as an advocate for individuals unable to speak for themselves. Chloe Wilson, a resident of Londonderry, was 18 years of age at the time of her assault in 2017. She had previously spoken with BBC News NI, identifying herself only by her first name, when Paul Bryan, a taxi driver from Newtowncunningham, County Donegal, received his sentence for the assault earlier this year. Chloe has now chosen to forgo her right to anonymity, with the expectation that this decision will assist other individuals and contribute to enduring reforms within the legal framework. According to Chloe, her future focus is now on “victim empowerment”. She stated, “I want to be a voice, someone who if you feel you can’t talk will be your Jane Doe.” She continued, “I’ll be the person you can hide behind, because I’m not scared anymore… I’m not ashamed and I know that they won’t be at some stage also.” In the previous week, Chloe held a meeting with Geraldine Hanna, Northern Ireland’s victims of crime commissioner, to deliberate on potential improvements for victims and survivors. Chloe commented, “We both have the same vision including [the need for] tougher sentencing.” Chloe emphasized the importance for others to understand that there “is life after assault”. She further stated, “You are more than what happened to you. You are not the product of your trauma. I used to see myself as a victim and now I don’t.” She concluded, “I see myself as a survivor and capable of making change.” In October 2017, during an evening out in Letterkenny, Chloe became separated from her companions. It was then that Bryan, aged 63, picked her up in his taxi and subjected her to assault. Bryan received a four-year sentence in September; half of this term is to be spent in custody, followed by release on licence. Reflecting on her seven-year pursuit of justice, Chloe described herself as being in “a kind of a haze”. She remarked, “It’s the most difficult thing I’ve ever dealt with… I’m just a normal girl, I’m someone’s daughter, a sister, a friend and someone very typical of a girl who grew up in Derry.” Chloe asserted that such a seven-year delay is an ordeal no survivor ought to experience. She elaborated, “You deal with the victimisation of yourself, like what did I do to make this my fault? The answer to that is absolutely nothing.“ She added, “Predators exist and unfortunately we live among them.” Chloe indicated that her discussion with the commissioner presented a chance to advocate for reforms within the legal system. She further commented, “The last seven years has shown me how much is wrong with our system and how we need to change.” Subsequent to Bryan’s sentencing, the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) stated that there had been “no undue delay by the PPS at any stage” and affirmed that “sentencing is a matter for the trial judge”. The PPS reported that prosecutors were initially informed of the case in 2022, upon receiving a file from the police. The PPS declared, “Once evidence was considered a decision to prosecute the suspect for sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault was taken.” Chloe expressed her view that the justice system ought to adopt a more “victim centred approach” and ensure the “right kind of therapy” is widely available within its framework. Additionally, she holds the conviction that individuals who enter early guilty pleas should not be granted more lenient sentences. She asserted, “This is not the time to give light sentence to people who ruin people’s lives.” For those impacted by the subjects discussed in this report, assistance and support can be accessed via BBC Action Line. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.