Student driven to suicide is new face of campaign to end domestic violence
A STUDENT driven to suicide by her abusive boyfriend will be the face of a nationwide campaign to tackle domestic violence in colleges and universities.
Emily Drouet took her own life in March last year after suffering mental and physical abuse inflicted by Angus Milligan.
The 18-year-old – who was in her first year of a law degree at Aberdeen University – had received menacing text messages and been physically assaulted by Milligan, 21, the grandson of a judge.
Miss Drouet’s grieving parents, Fiona and Germain Drouet, have now agreed to allow her photograph to be used as part of a powerful campaign to raise awareness of domestic abuse among students.
Her image will feature on posters and help cards by the National Union of Students (NUS) in Scotland. The flyers will also feature text messages she sent to friends about the abusive relationship. The campaign is aimed at helping students in a difficult relationship to recognise the signs and seek help.
Mrs Drouet, 45, a business owner from Glasgow, said: ‘Young women and men need to recognise what domestic violence is and seek help. Their friends and fellow students need to understand the signs and start talking about this.
‘The parameters of what is a normal relationship in some young people have become so blurred that we need to have these conversations. It’s a myth that domestic violence happens to older women, just as it is a myth that it doesn’t happen to men.
‘If they see something that is not right, they need to do something.’
She added: ‘Using Emily’s image was a difficult decision for us. Her story is completely horrific but if she can make a difference and help other girls we have to do it.’
The posters and cards will be sent to every university in Scotland as part of the NUS 16 Days of Action against domestic abuse.
Milligan – a direct descendant of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and grandson of Jim Milligan, who was one of Scotland’s top judges – was sentenced to 180 hours of community service at Aberdeen Sheriff Court in July for abusing Miss Drouet. They started dating during their first term at the university in 2015, but the relationship soured when Milligan was told she had been unfaithful.
He became angry and assaulted Miss Drouet at their halls of residence. He also sent vicious texts, choked her, pushed her against a desk and slapped her face.
Eight days later Miss Drouet took her own life in her bedroom, shortly after Milligan was seen visiting her. Sheriff Malcolm Garden branded him ‘controlling’ with an ‘ultimately violent approach’ but said he was powerless to impose a jail term.
Aberdeen University expelled Milligan, a psychology student.
At the time of his sentencing, Mrs Drouet said: ‘Angus Milligan has been unmasked as a vicious abuser who stole our daughter’s life. No sentence [he] receives can reflect the destruction he has caused or bring Emily back.’
The campaign will be rolled out on Wednesday. NUS women’s officer Shuwanna Aaron said: ‘We need to end the horror of genderbased violence in our colleges and universities.
‘We need staff training at every campus, so they’re able to act on gender-based violence. Students, too, need access to training.
‘We need to ensure counselling services, and other services to support students who’ve experienced these crimes, are clearly signposted and given the funding they need.’
Meanwhile, an open letter from Skye police to an unnamed domestic abuse victim has been posted online to urge her to seek help.
The tweets state: ‘We know you follow this account and want you to see this... Your family and friends have told you they think you are in danger – they support you and want you to be safe.’
Posts add that she does not have to endure ‘degrading comments and controlling behaviour’.
Scottish Women’s Aid chief Marsha Scott praised police for ‘trying to reach out in a different way’.
‘Emily’s story is completely horrific’