Nominated for an Award
I never realised how positive I’d feel when my work was recognised by Mind Media Awards in 2019.
You always see journalists say they are award winning and think who cares.
But when you’ve literally gone through so much to get a story to air and someone shines a light your way - it reminds you that what I am doing is more than good enough.
My story was about Melanie who has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). She was sexually abused from the age of three and in order to cope with the repeated, ritualistic trauma she developed alternative personalities known as ‘alters’ to help her get through the day.
Sophie is six. She likes to play, have fun, eats lots of sweets and loves anything that is pink.
Pearl is eighteen. She is rebellious. The one who is abrupt, tells you exactly what she thinks and ventures out when Melanie needs defending.
Dawn is forty. She has grown with Melanie. The mum figure that does the cooking. Sensitive, logistics focused and always polite.
It took me a year to win Melanie’s trust, convince editors that this story was worth telling and get through all the legals hoops.
What a year. It was completely exhausting and also completely worthwhile.
There was so much to pack in that it took up the whole of Woman’s Hour’s 45 minute slot: 20 minutes for the piece and the rest for a discussion on Mental Health.
Melanie describes herself as a set of Russian dolls. Melanie is the main one and each doll inside her is an alternative personality.
To validate Melanie’s story, I spoke to her therapist and the local Rape Crisis group that has supported her.
DID helped her to survive when she was younger. She stays it stopped her from killing herself.
‘When I was young I remember thinking I was out playing in the fields with Molly instead of being in a room being abused. I don’t hear voices now, but as a child I remember them telling me things would be ok.’
Well, we didn’t win. (Sad face)
But the judge did say that everyone should listen to our entry because it was of ‘gold standard.’
