Keri's Couch: A domestic violence surviour tells her story

Keri's Couch: A domestic violence surviour tells her story

As the world continues to observe 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, Keri Miller played her part in raising awareness by speaking to a woman who survived this global pandemic. 

Anna Insam - Domestic violence survivor
Supplied

Societies free of gender-based violence do not exist, and South Africa is no exception. Far too many women are still enduring abuse or even dying at the hands of their partners.

Anna Insam was once in a happy and loving relationship with her now-ex boyfriend, international model Keagan Carl Troskie, but all of that changed on 25 October 2020.

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She tells Keri that at first, Troskie ticked all the boxes until he started becoming jealous and possessive. Insam talks of the very first trigger which happened at a club when a man tried to make an advance at her. She calls that one of the first red-flags, but she admits that at the time she did not see it as such.

On the 25 of October, however, Insam tells of the heartbreaking ordeal that took place that day. 

"As I walked out of the bathroom, my bed was right there, and he was sitting at the edge of the bed, and he just grabbed me by the jaw'" she says. 

What followed after that was a very traumatising and heartbreaking incident which lasted for almost seven hours and saw Insam gasping for air, pleading with her ex-boyfriend to stop.

Listen to the podcast below.

Anna Insam is one of the few who made it out of an abusive relationship alive. The following morning after being strangled and beaten by her boyfriend, she went to the police station to open a case against Troskie.


As is the case with many women who speak of their experience at the police station, Insam tells Keri about the treatment from the law officers.

"They were not as empathetic as I feel they should be in situations like that. I think it is because they are numb from seeing so many women walking in. But, my issue is that 'how many women are walking into the police station and then they leave to go to a clinic and never come back?' because it takes so much courage to walk in there in the first place," Insam says.

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Troskie, who has been accused of physical abuse by two other women, was released on bail and Insam says that she also got a restraining order against him.

Anna Insam was brave enough to share her pictures with us. 

WARNING: NOT FOR SENSITIVE VIEWERS

Pictures of Anna Insam after being physically abused
Supplied
Pictures of Anna Insam after being physically abused
Supplied
Pictures of Anna Insam after being physically abused
Supplied

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IMAGE CREDIT: Supplied

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