A WOMAN who was raped by her husband today waived her right to anonymity to send a message of hope to other women living in an abusive relationship or marriage.
Kathleen Correia bravely broke her silence to say she was left with feelings of “isolation, shame and guilt” after years spent in silence “concealing the truth” about the attacks by evil Sergio Correia, who was jailed for eight years.
She added that she was left with sadness over the reality of what happened to her but her decision to speak out was “the right one”.
She added: “I did nothing wrong.”
Ms Correia, 41, who is originally from Co Sligo, said “the saying ‘what happens behind closed doors, should stay behind closed doors’ was wrong and damaging for victims and people should not be afraid to speak out.”
She added: “There should be no stigma or shame for those towards rape, sexual violence or domestic violence of any kind.
“I want to send a message of hope to other women who may be living in an abusive relationship or marriage. It’s not okay or acceptable, it’s not your fault and there is help out there.
“After years of darkness and isolation, my hope is the truth will set me free.”
Portuguese Correia, 48, from Front Street, Ardara, Co Donegal, was caged for eight years after a jury convicted him in June of two counts of anally raping Kathleen and one count of coercive control on dates in 2019.
The jury heard that the couple, who had three children, had met when Kathleen was on holiday in Portugal in 2006 and they settled in Ireland before marrying in 2012.
Judge Melanie Greally noted they encountered some challenges in their marriage early on and the accused’s expectations in relation to the frequency of sexual intercourse was an issue.
In 2018 they moved to Portugal, but this move was not a success and the family moved back to Ireland.
After their return from Portugal, the judge said Correia was angered by a deterioration in the family’s finances and living conditions and blamed his wife.
He was also concealing a drug habit and was moody and irritable, the judge said.
He regarded sex as a right and if his wife did not meet his demands for daily sex, he said she was not a proper wife and threatened her that she would have to meet his demands if she wanted the marriage to last, the court was told.
TRIAL DETAILS
The trial heard he would tell his wife “you got away with it last night, you won’t get away with it tonight”, if she did not have sex with him.
In 2019, the court heard, Ms Correia suffered a severe decline in her mental health.
She lost weight and began suffering from an eating disorder.
The allegations of rape came to light when she engaged with mental health services.
On both counts that he was convicted of, the court heard, Correia anally raped his wife, when she had repeatedly told him that she did not want it to happen and he was hurting her.
One of the offences took place on July 4, 2019 in the Gibson Hotel in Dublin after the couple travelled to Dublin for two nights to see a concert in the 3Arena.
VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT
In her victim impact statement, Ms Correia told the court she had wanted a loving partner and to share their lives together, raising their children and working through the ups and downs of family life together.
Instead of that, she said her husband “coerced, controlled, abused and raped” her.
She said no matter how many times she said “no”, her husband’s control and demand for sex took over their marriage.
Ms Correia said: “You had no regard for my feelings or how I was impacted.
“You crushed my soul and broke me as a person. I lost my voice.”
Ms Correia said the ripple effects of his actions had caused so much pain and devastation and continued to do so.
Judge Greally said she was taking into account the profoundly harmful effects of Correia’s actions on his wife and young family.
She added: “You showed little insight into your behaviour or its harmful effects.
“There was an immense breach of trust involved in the offending and I have to take into account the degrading and humiliating nature of the conduct involved.”
Judge Greally sentenced him to nine and a half years in prison but suspended the final year and a half on condition that he comply with probation directions and that he take part in treatment programmes for domestic and sexual violence and addiction.
Following the case, Detective Inspector Yvonne Martin of the Mayo, Longford, Roscommon Garda Divisional Services Protective Unit said she wanted to pay tribute to Ms Correia’s “remarkable bravery”.
Inspector Martin told those suffering that “it is not your duty to accept any degree of suffering inflicted by your husband or wife.
“You do not give up your right to consent and to your own autonomy through marriage.”
She said as an investigator, she wanted to speak to any person of any gender or sexuality who had experienced domestic or intimate partner abuse to tell them that there could be a life beyond it.
