My ‘friend’ raped me as I was having an epileptic seizure… I made frantic call for help but woke to him on top of me
WAKING groggily from a seizure, Kerry Tadgell, 35, from Kent, felt like she was trapped in a horrifying bubble. She wanted to scream but couldn’t.
The mum-of-two, who suffers from epilepsy, was still recovering, unable to speak and with no energy.
Sickeningly, instead of putting her in the recovery position, her ‘friend’ Mark Anderson, 42, was raping her.
After he attacked her he sent her abusive texts stating he hoped she’d have "another fit and die".
Now he’s been jailed for eight years and Kerry, speaking exclusively to Fabulous, has bravely waived her anonymity to raise awareness for sexual assault survivors.
Hurt in the worst way imaginable
Kerry says: “That day, as I lost control of my body, Mark hurt me in the worst way imaginable.
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“Now as he rots in prison I’m slowly taking back that control.
“I want other women out there to come forward, even if they think they won’t be believed. It was just Mark and I there that day so I didn’t think I stood a chance.
“But I got justice and so can you.”
Until 2019 Kerry was living a normal life as a single mum to two girls, 10 and 16, and worked as a nurse in palliative care.
But in January 2020, then aged 30, her world flipped upside down when her face suddenly drooped and she blanked out.
Kerry says: “Initially, I thought it was tiredness as I’d been really overworked.
- a general strange feeling that is hard to describe
- a "rising" feeling in your tummy – sometimes likened to the sensation in your stomach when on a fairground ride
- an intense feeling that events have happened before (déjà vu)
- experiencing an unusual smell or taste
- a tingling sensation, or "pins and needles", in your arms and legs
- a sudden intense feeling of fear or joy
- stiffness or twitching in part of the body, such as an arm or hand
The NHS warns that these signs could be early warnings that another type of fit is imminent.
Complex partial seizures are also signs of epilepsy, as they cause your sense of awareness and memory to become distorted.
Symptoms can include:
- smacking your lips
- rubbing your hands
- making random noises
- moving your arms around
- picking at clothes
- fiddling with objects
- adopting an unusual posture
- chewing or swallowing
For more information visit //epilepsysociety.org.uk/ or //www.epilepsy.org.uk/
Over the next three years, Kerry’s illness was debilitating, and she continually woke up in different places. Sometimes the seizures would last for up to five minutes.
Unable to work, she filled her time with visiting family on the days she was well enough.
Try not to wash or change your clothes immediately after a sexual assault. This may destroy forensic evidence that could be important if you decide to report the assault to the police (although you can still go to the police even if you have washed).
Where to get help
Sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) offer medical, practical and emotional support to anyone who has been raped, sexually assaulted or abused. SARCs have specially trained doctors, nurses and support workers to care for you.
Other places you can get help include:
- a doctor or practice nurse at your GP surgery
- a voluntary organisation, such as , , , or
- the 24-hour , on 0808 2000 247
- the – you can call the helpline on 0808 500 2222 or use the online chat (both are free and are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year)
- a hospital accident and emergency (A&E) department
- a genitourinary medicine (GUM) or sexual health clinic
- a contraceptive clinic
- a young people's service
- call NHS 111 or
- the police, or dial 101
- in an emergency, dial 999.