Brave domestic abuse survivor from Greenock is speaking out about her ordeal

Pippa Cooper has been recovering from a relationship where she was abused both physically and mentally, to the point where she attempted to jump off a balcony.

The abuse occurred over a two year period while she was with her ex-partner in Portsmouth and she has since returned to Inverclyde.

Pippa has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and has been rebuilding her life at home in Braeside with the help of trauma therapy, medication and the support of family and friends.

Now she's sharing her story with Tele readers to help other women in a similar situation.

The 32-year-old said: "The night I almost ended it all I was in a really heated argument with my ex-partner and couldn't see any way out other than jumping off the balcony.

"I said I was going to do it and he said I should.

"Another time because of my condition I ran away and he phoned the police for some reason, maybe out of worry.

"When I returned and the policeman was there I immediately said 'he didn't hit me', which prompted him to leave a note on my record that I could potentially be a victim of domestic violence."

Pippa has taken part in a charity exercise fundraiser in aid of Refuge - the '3000 Squat' challenge - during November to raise awareness of domestic abuse and she has been sharing updates of her challenge on her @the.borderline.kitty page on Instagram.

She said: "I still suffer awful flashbacks and don't remember every single thing that happened to me while I was in that relationship.

"At first the flashbacks were daily and I couldn't even go in the shower as that's where a lot of the abuse took place.

"I think a lot of people think that once you've left the relationship you're absolutely fine, but the reality is far from that.

"It takes a very long time to recover.

"Just last week I was forced to have an STI test after finding out my partner had been sleeping with other people while we were together.

"I'm still working through the emotions of the healing process."

Pippa fled Portsmouth with nothing but a suitcase and although she reported her ex-partner to English police, he has since moved to Cyprus.

She said: "When I returned, I really did having nothing.

"I went to Inverclyde Women's Aid, who referred me to a community link worker, but these services are so stretched and underfunded.

"I shared my story on Facebook and had offers of various bits of furniture from pages like Freebies Inverclyde.

"The level of support has been humbling.

"The community have really rallied around to help me."

The 32-year-old believes more people should reach out to friends who they believe may be in an abusive relationship.

Pippa said: "You don't have to wait on a person to come to you.

"Most of the time the abuser has alienated the person from their family and friends, so if someone seems distant, check on them.

"You don't necessarily have to go to the police.

"While it may be difficult for the victim, just offering a listening ear could be a massive help and they may open up to you.

"People don't realise that helplines aren't just for the person who is being domestically abused, anyone who is seeking advice can reach out to these charities and organisations.

"There are myths surrounding domestic violence that I hope to debunk.

"It can take the form of mental, physical and emotional abuse and a person can experience one or all of those at the same time."

*If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, call Refuge on 0808 2000 247 or visit their website