THE TWO WOMEN who were sexually abused as children by former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson have said nothing can change the impact of what happened to them. 

Donaldson was sentenced to 15 years in prison today after being convicted in June of 18 offences, including one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency committed between 1985 and 2008.

The former Lagan Valley MP had denied the charges but was found guilty following a trial in which both victims gave evidence against him.

Donaldson’s wife Eleanor was found to have aided and abetted his crimes following a trial of the facts, which was granted on mental health grounds.

‘Forever changed’

In a statement issued following the sentencing today, both anonymous victims described how the abuse they suffered at Donaldson’s hands has continued to impact their lives as adults.  

“My childhood was stolen from me and I will never get it back,” Victim A said. 

“The effects of the Donaldsons’ actions have bled into every part of my life. Although the offences happened in the past, their impact did not end when the abuse ended.”

She said she carried “shame, anger and guilt” for years and “questioned whether I was worth protecting or worthy of being loved”.

She said she had learned to survive by “shutting away my emotions, trusting no one and expecting people to hurt me”.

“I became strong, resilient and fiercely independent, but those qualities came at a cost. I should never have had to become this strong.”

Describing the last few years as “a battle”, she said Donaldson’s conviction could not undo the damage he had done, but that “those responsible do not control me now”.

“They forever changed me, but they will not take my future. The cycle is being broken and it ends with me.”

‘Nightmares’ 

Victim B said that what happened to her as a child “has affected everything since then, every day and every relationship I have ever had”.

“At times I wonder who I would be if this hadn’t happened to me. What would it be like not to be afraid at night, not to wake up shaking, not to have nightmares and not to lock away every feeling I have?”

She also said that what happened to her had taken away her ability to trust people. 

“I don’t think I really know what trust or love truly is. Nothing can ever change what was done to me. I wish it could.”

She said she had decided to stand up many years after the abuse “because for me this is about drawing a line in the sand and knowing that the Donaldson’s can no longer hurt anyone else”. 

“Many people get to look ahead and plan their lives with hope, I’ve never known what that feels like.

“My hope was taken away from me a long time ago.”

‘No one is above the law’ 

Detective chief inspector Leah Crothers, the senior investigating officer in the case, welcomed today’s sentencing and said it showed that “no on is above the law”. 

“Our job as police officers is to pursue a criminal justice outcome and today we have done just that.

“As a police service, we know the impact that serious sexual crime has on victims and we have approached this case as we do all others, focusing on the perpetrators and supporting the victims.

She said that “both brave women have suffered immeasurably as they come to terms with what happened to them as children”.

Crothers commended their bravery in pursuing justice, noting that it was “no mean feat in sensitive and highly scrutinised cases such as this”.

“They have been subjected to speculation online and in the media with their legal right to anonymity being jeopardised in the process and yet they remained steadfastly supportive of the criminal justice process.

“Today is an important one. The police service and our criminal justice system has sent a clear message, no one is above the law.”