A fundraising page for Angelique has been added.

PREVIOUSLY:

A young woman is still living with trauma after a man who tortured her for three years was released from prison.

The 22-year-old woman, Angelique, has since changed her name and moved out of the district to reset her life following the horrific abuse.

"At the moment I'm doing alright, it still haunts me sometimes," she told The Courier.

She recounted her story on other media on Thursday night, hoping to help others.

"He made me believe everything he was doing was right and I deserved every bit of it," she said.

"Nobody should have to go through it."

The perpetrator, Thomas Jennings, was convicted and jailed in 2017 for two years and eight months, as first reported by The Courier. Jennings was given a non-parole period of 18 months after previously serving 315 days in custody.

Read more here: Man jailed for locking woman in dog cage

He pleaded guilty to 11 charges at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court, which included false imprisonment, recklessly causing injury, and threatening to inflict serious injury.

Jennings could not be named at the time because of a suppression order, which expired in 2018.

The abuse was described as "monstrous" by the magistrate - a court report states Angelique, who lives with an intellectual disability, was locked in a metal dog cage, burned, electrically shocked, and choked by Jennings at their home in Wendouree in 2016.

Jennings was 21 at the time, while Angelique was only 16 - he had made her sign a "contract" where he was the master and she was the submissive.

She was also attacked by Jennings' dog, which he filmed and "kept for his own enjoyment and humiliation" of her".

A friend helped her to escape from Jennings' house, and provide a statement to police.

"They took photos of bruises and scars, and put a blanket around me," she said.

"They took a statement from me to get him charged and put away."

Magistrate Ron Saines condemned the behaviour during sentencing.

"The complainant has an intellectual disability and was a vulnerable person and because of that you took full advantage of her vulnerability," Mr Saines told Jennings in court in 2017.

"A number of acts are monstrous acts of harm, intimidation and humiliation of her. This is an example where someone could die of domestic violence."

Angelique said she wanted to use her story to empower other women who are in dangerous situations.

"Mothers and children, and men, need to be safe and need to be warned that this person is out there walking the streets in Ballarat," she said.

"It makes me proud that I was able to get it out there, and make sure that people are safe."

Since the court case, she has begun to move on with her life - she is now with a new, supportive partner, and is planning on getting married.

"It's always going to be playing on my mind somewhere or sitting in my heart, but now is the time for me to be happy, so I should be able to deserve happiness," she said.

You can support Angelique directly through a GoFundMe page.

If you or someone you know is in need of crisis support, phone Lifeline 13 11 14 or 1800 RESPECT

Help is also available, but not limited, via the following organisations. The key message is you are not alone.

Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 or beyondblue.org.au

Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467

Mensline: 1300 789 978 or mensline.org.au

Survivors of Suicide: 0449 913 535

Relationships Australia: 1800 050 321

headspace Ballarat (for 12-25s and parent support): 5304 4777

Soldier On: 1300 620 380

Ballarat Community Health: 5338 4500

QLife: 1800 184 527 (Support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people)

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