Victim’s mum: daughter ‘amazes me’

THE effect of Paul Nuzum’s actions spread far wider than just the girl he assaulted.

Emma and Ben, who were together almost nine years and were engaged to be married, couldn’t take the strain any longer and went their separate ways.

A carer from the house had multiple breakdowns and cannot work in the field again due to prolonged PTSD.

To this day Emma wears up to six layers of clothing as a defence mechanism, to create barriers between her and others.

And Monica feels like she’s completely lost herself.

“It’s robbed me, I’ve lost me,” she said.

“I’ve become exhausted, I’ve got depression, posttraumatic stress, I have no faith.

“I don’t know who I am anymore.

“The guilt is just ... that was the worst. I was trying to build a life up for us and I was out having dinner, while she was suffering.

“I thought we could trust these people.

“But then I think how didn’t I see it? I’ve lost faith in my own decision making.”

When Monica sees FSG CEO Vicki Batten claim she did everything she could for her clients, it affects her mentally and physically.

“When I see her saying that the clients are her number one priority I feel sick,” Monica said.

“I want to throw up. “It makes me so angry. Despite this, Monica and her daughter are on a long road to recovery together, or at least feeling slightly better.

Monica can’t sing the praises of Centacare enough, saying their support has been so refreshing it felt strange at first.

The ordeal has matured her daughter, whose life has been one struggle after another.

But regardless, Monica says it hasn’t affected her ability to love and trust.

“She’s got the biggest heart, she just loves people,” Monica said with a warm smile.

“She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body; she’s just the sweetest person you’ll ever meet.

“She’s super strong, very strong.

“She’s not the type to back into a corner, she’ll come out fighting. “She’s going to beat this. “She definitely doesn’t want this to happen to anybody else.

“She feels deeply. “She just doesn’t understand how people can be nasty, how someone can hurt somebody. She doesn’t.

“She amazes me every day.

“She’s taught me, through this, so much.

“That she hasn’t lost that kindness is astounding.”