Rachelle Yeo was murdered July 16, 2012 by her ex-boyfriend. Her story is one of 1 billion – and rising.
Trigger Warning: This post deals with issues of domestic violence and may be triggering for survivors of abuse.
You may have read about Rachelle Yeo. She was murdered in 2012 by her ex-boyfriend, Paul Mulvihill, at her home in North Curl Curl, Sydney.
She was killed simply because she didn’t want to be with him anymore.
The death of Rachelle was a tragedy and an utter nightmare for her family. But her story is not uncommon.
Read more:Sylvia Jeffreys speaks about the murder of her friend.
With 7 billion people on the planet, more than one billion women and girls will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
For so many women, that violence comes from people who should love and care for them the most – their partners.
Today is Valentine’s Day. A day we traditionally associate with romance. But this year, the world is standing up in an action to end violence against women. That campaign is called 1 Billion Rising.
This week, Mamamia spoke to Rachelle’s father Roger Yeo, and he shared with us the devastating story of his daughter’s death at the hands of her ex-partner.
In the video below, he delivers one of the most powerful speeches you will hear.
Roger Yeo will not be silenced. Nor should any of us.
“Don’t hide it. Don’t ignore it. Don’t believe it can’t happen to you or anyone you know”.
If you have experienced, or are at risk of domestic violence or sexual assault, you can receive help by calling 1800 RESPECT – 1800 737 732. If you, a child or anyone is in immediate danger please call the police on 000.
Top Comments
"Don’t hide it. Don’t ignore it. Don’t believe it can’t happen to you or anyone you know". I am so grateful for these campaigns against domestic violence. I also appreciate the way Yeo takes away the shield of his daughter's murderer being labelled a man who partakes in the act of domestic violence to something much more powerful- a narcissistic psychopath who committed a horrendous crime.
Maybe we need to change the way domestic violence is labelled. In the same way the media fought to change 'king hit' to 'cowards punch'.
'Domestic' (noun) is defined as a person who is paid to help with cleaning and other menial tasks in a person's home. Read into it as you will.
'don't believe it can't happen to anyone you know'. Unless they are male of course.
I may be the only person who think this but I believe that women should be responsible for your of mate. I am not victim blaming. And in some rare instances women can be truly deceived. But much more likely in many of these instances ( Rose Batty partner, Paul Mulvihill and prime examples of this. ) If you enter a relationship with man with a violent history, there are risks associated with it. High risk behaviour can have it's pay off's, but more often than not instability will ensue. Paul Mulvihill was a high profile football who's history of assaults were very well publicized in the media and trial. I am not suggesting in any way that she deserved her fate, and we all know that logic flies out window when you are in love. What I am saying is that when you knowing settled down with a man you know has a history of violence and mental instability, your chances of experience violence are drastically reduced. It isn't victim blaming but common sense. The best indicator of future behaviour is past behaviour. Too many women ignore red flags at their peril
I have worked with DV victims and you are profoundly wrong and actually really manipulative in your comment. Most, if not all, women I have met in DV situations started in "normal" loving relationships, that's how these women are blindsided.
They may be blindsided initially, but what happens when your daughter keeps going back? He doesnt threaten her, he says sorry and he loves her and back she goes every single time. Its hard to live and watch your daughter return every time. How do we protect her? How?
Unfortunately, you can't. I have a sister who has been in the same situation and if they choose to keep going back, there is NOTHING that you can do to stop it, not when they think there is glimmer of hope they will 'change'. You can call the police during a violent event, get involved to help calm things down, but until the law is changed to allow judges to make enforceable decisions for some of these women, then it will continue.
You just have to be there to always support and pick up the pieces.
It is heartbreaking for victims and their families