THIS story may never be written, but at least it has been told.

I'm writing on behalf of a friend and how she is being treated by the Housing Department of Swindon Borough Council.

My friend was in a terrible incident which almost cost her her life. She is not only mentally scarred but has physical scars all over her body. She has also damage to her internal organs. She has been left partially disabled and has lost the use of one of her limbs. Her attacker has been in her home several times uninvited and made threats. She has tried to come to terms with all this but continues to suffer from flashbacks, illusions, being depressed and has even felt like ending her life at times.

The housing authorities will not move her because the attacker is serving a long sentence. My friend feels unsafe both inside and outside her home. When indoors, she carries an alarm and a mobile phone because she feels unsafe. When outside she prefers to be with someone.

My friend was an independent woman, had a full time job, a good relationship with a partner and was learning to drive. Now she has none of these things because of the incident. All she did was to help a family member and now she is being punished.

Why does the attacker get help but not the victim? How many more people are suffering because of the system?

A READER