‘Okay,’ Sophie said slowly. She stared at me, trying to work out who I was and why I was there. I shook my head to clear my jumbled thoughts. Meeting Sophie was more difficult than I’d anticipated.

‘My name is Eve. I was attacked back in September,’ I admitted.

Her eyes flashed interest then – from the one I could see anyway.

‘Can you tell me what happened?’ I asked.

Sophie shook her head, her bottom lip trembled and then a tear dropped onto the starchy white sheet. ‘I don’t know exactly.’

‘Did he… Did he touch you?’ I stammered. I had to know, but Sophie shook her head.

‘He just hit me. He kept on hitting me.’ Her voice clogged from holding back tears. She looked broken, like she’d been beaten with a baseball bat. I couldn’t believe someone’s fists could do so much damage.

‘Excuse me?’ came a peeved voice behind me. Her mother was back, laden with snacks.

I stood immediately, smoothing my hair as she looked me up and down. Heat continued to rise in my cheeks at being caught somewhere I shouldn’t be.

‘I’m sorry,’ I said, turning to leave, but Sophie’s voice stopped me.

‘Did he do the same to you?’ She sounded so fragile.

‘No,’ I replied, not wanting to share my story. I think she understood as our eyes met and we regarded each other as victims, bound together. It couldn’t have been Ian. There was no sexual assault.

Her mother stared wide-eyed at me.

‘I hope they catch him,’ I said and reached down to touch Sophie’s hand. My heart broke for her and all the other victims that had to suffer the bruises and the pain that men inflicted. Even when she was healed she wouldn’t be fixed on the inside. I knew that for a fact.

Her mother followed me out of the ward and down the corridor to the exit.

‘Did that same man attack you?’ she demanded. Hands wedged onto her hips, blocking the door. She wanted answers, a lioness protecting her cub.

‘No, not the same man. I was attacked yes, but it was different,’ I tailed off.

She stared at me, lips pursed.

‘Did she see him?’ I asked, eyes wide, but she shook her head.

‘No, he came at her from behind. Drunk they think, knocked her to the ground and laid into her like a fucking animal.’ She rummaged around in her handbag for a tissue and began dabbing her rapidly filling eyes.

I shook my head, unsure how to respond.

‘I don’t know what could have possessed him to attack a girl. A complete stranger,’ she continued.