Rach thought she had survived the worst after escaping DV.

Rach Mac found herself in a hospital, anxiously waiting for the results of her tests after being in a car accident. As she was sitting there, a doctor approached her and asked, "Have you experienced any trauma to your neck before?" This question caught her off guard, as she was already dealing with a severe concussion and whiplash from the accident. However, the doctor's inquiry went beyond her current injuries and delved into a deeper issue.

As a warning, this story contains details that may be distressing for some readers. Mac is a mother of three from Perth, and she is also a survivor of domestic violence. After enduring years of physical and emotional abuse from her ex-partner, she founded the charity "Broken Crayons Still Colour." She bravely shared her story and revealed that her abuser's preferred method of violence was strangulation.

Despite managing to escape her attacker, Mac was shocked to learn from the doctor that her abuse had caused long-term health consequences. The doctor urgently advised her to schedule an appointment with her GP as he had discovered multiple lesions on her thyroid, which could be linked to the trauma inflicted on her neck. Mac was stunned by this revelation and shared, "The doctor told me, 'I need you to make an urgent appointment with your GP, you have numerous lesions all over your thyroid, which would go hand-in-hand with so much trauma to your neck'."

After undergoing three biopsies, Mac received the devastating news that she had anaplastic thyroid cancer - a highly aggressive form of the disease. Naturally, her first question to her doctor was whether her cancer was a result of the abuse she had endured. "They said there's always that chance," Mac recalled. She went on to explain how her repeated strangulations had caused her lymph nodes to overwork, leading to their complete calcification.

Since her diagnosis, Mac has been advocating for more research on the long-term effects of non-fatal strangulation. She is also calling for hospitals to conduct thorough neck examinations on patients who have been victims of domestic violence. "When I went to the hospital and they were stitching up my face and treating my broken ribs, I kept telling them that I couldn't swallow properly and that there was something wrong with my neck," she shared.

According to healthcare education provider Healthed, at least a quarter of Australian women who have experienced coercive control have also been victims of non-fatal strangulation. The consequences of this type of abuse can be severe, including neurological symptoms, memory loss, and carotid artery dissection. It can also increase the risk of homicide by seven times. Dr. Jason Schreiber, a forensic physician, stated that there is currently no established link between strangulation trauma and cancer. "There is a very vague suspicion that thyroid trauma, via hematoma, may possibly be related to cancer, but nothing is really confirmed," he explained.

Dr. Schreiber further elaborated that the main issue with strangulation is the brain's lack of oxygen supply. In many cases, there may not be any visible injuries to the neck, both externally and internally. However, research is still being conducted on the potential long-term effects of strangulation. "I believe doctors and scientists are interested in finding out more, but cancer is not considered to be a primary concern," he added.

Recently, Mac underwent a seven-hour surgery to remove half of her thyroid and her lymph nodes. Although she struggles to speak due to the operation, she is determined to share her story. "Since I went public with my experience, other women have come forward with similar issues with their necks and throats. I believe more research needs to be done to address these potential issues," she stated.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, support is available through the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT.

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