At nineteen years of age I took the considered decision to apply for the police service. My first thought was to apply for a force outside of England. I think possibly as it was a way of feeling impartial, in a role that I knew even at that tender age was challenging. This changed and I decided to apply to join the force area where I was born. I at that time considered that it would be a true test of my character.
Sixteen years later I realised that I need not have been so concerned about my impartiality, I managed this eloquently and with a keen sense of aplomb. However my intelligence, curious nature and complete and utter sense of serving my community, meant that for men (it was mainly men at that time ) this was a difficult combination. I was not easy to corrupt. I had no interest in marrying for ease or status.
When eventually my marriage to a violent officer was deteriorating. I closed down the home based business ( it was a temporary arrangement with two small children ) I returned to policing and resumed my career. It was however the point at which my entire life was stolen. The violent officer terrorised me, I was given an option to report what was happenng in return for support to leave him. This was the first of many lies that stole my career, my home, my posessions from my mothers famiy and my dignity.
How to reposnd to this ? I began to rebuild a career returning to business. I worked hard paid taxes and tried to build a life with some semblance of safety. It seemed impossible, yet the career went from part time work in a retail pharmacist to management of large teams in multimillion pound turnover retail stores. All this whilst threats, assaults, burglaries, criminal damage, threats and targeting of businesses that employed me.
It was just a few years ago that I realised that my idea of working until sixty seven and retiring to France was not possible. The visits by police to my company. Threats to kill me and a range of other tactics to try show that the country had not chosen a rapist to serve the community. The facts however are now proven and I was left with my career again destroyed. Stolen along with all of my lifes posessions,
So what to do ? I followed some gentle suggestion to write. Who was going to read it ? What was I going to say ? Was that a real career ? … University was the first step, then people started to read. I have just finished my first book. Is this the career plan ? It most certainly was not. However to be able to share with a world audience the importance of standing up against tyranny and violence. I may not have been the career plan ( I shall grieve the careers that were stolen ) It is however as much of a priviedge as the stolen dreams I once had. …
I related to several elements of this piece. I, too, felt that my career was stolen. I just had never thought about it that way before. Leaving a loveless and emotionally abusive relationship felt as though my life had blown up right in front of me. Thank you for sharing your story. And, yes, sometimes our careers find us!