Raped a woman who was left with serious injuries.

A Yorkshire woman has spoken out about the devastating impact of being raped, detailing the ongoing trauma she suffers years after the attack.

Last week, Vira Hussaini, 35, of Bradford, was sentenced to four years in prison at Leeds Crown Court for the rape of the woman, who sustained serious injuries in the 2018 attack.

In the aftermath of the sentencing, the victim, who remains anonymous for legal reasons, shared her harrowing experience with YorkshireLive. She described the horrific ordeal, saying: "He held me down by my wrists and raped me. He tore me, causing bleeding, which led me to seek support from the health sector. I was worried about the safety of other women and built up the courage to report him to the police in August 2019..."

The woman expressed her disappointment with the length of the sentence, stating: "We all thought he would have been given a longer sentence, however we are grateful that a level of justice has been served after many years suffering in silence."

In her victim impact statement, the woman poignantly described the lasting effects of the attack: "I feel that I have either no appetite, or spend time comfort eating. In relation to sexual health, I was worried about whether or not I had been passed a disease...Fortunately I was given the all clear." She revealed that she had to leave her job and rely on her savings to cover her living expenses.

The emotional toll on the woman has been profound: "I feel that my emotional wellbeing has been greatly affected, as I have lost track of the amount of times that I have cried when this incident has come into my thoughts. I have also suffered with graphic sexual abuse nightmares, to the point where a close friend has heard me screaming in my sleep. I must add that I have also felt panicked at times, like I am having heart palpitations."

The woman expressed feelings of violated dignity and a sense of lost privacy: "I feel that I have no privacy left and I am embarrassed that so many strangers from the court process are now aware of my personal matters. Sadly, the stigma of rape will always remain with me and I have to learn to continue living with that... "

The attack has also significantly impacted her social life: "I feel that my social life has been greatly affected too, as I have become more insular over the past few years. This has been due to the fact that I no longer feel confident or safe, which has left me feeling socially isolated at times. I have seen a negative impact upon my loved ones too....I have seen close and treasured family members and friends cry when taking the time to support me."

Despite the immense trauma she has endured, the woman has sought support and engaged in various forms of therapy: "I have accessed support, including counselling, reiki, group therapy and have also engaged with an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor since the attack."

The woman concluded her statement with a powerful message of resilience and hope for the future: "Overall, the past four-and-a-half years have been immensely stressful and taken up so much energy. It has also taken up a significant amount of time, when trying to work through this trauma. "I makes me feel sad that he could have admitted what he did and shown both acceptance and remorse a long time ago. This would have allowed me to access justice and closure, but instead I have had to endure the criminal court process, in order to fight for justice to be served. "It is hard to describe in full how I feel after the sexual violence that I was subject to, although I have tried my best to explain...Ultimately what I am really trying to say is, I have air in my lungs, but feel like I can't breathe. And I have a heart that works, but feels broken. I now plan to rebuild myself and not allow this man to destroy me any further."