Violent Attack Victim Speaks Out To Encourage Other Survivors To Heal
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4)- A woman who was the victim of a violent sexual assault is telling her story in hopes that it will encourage other victims to come forward.
Justin Andreae cried and asked for forgiveness in a Boulder courtroom on Friday, but the judge showed no mercy, sentencing him to the maximum 35 years behind bars, saying he wished he could put him away longer.
The woman Andreae assaulted was also in court.
"I was locked in a bathroom. With a knife to my neck," said Janis, who didn't want to reveal her last name. "I don't want to be scared anymore. I've been scared long enough."
She admits the attack isn't easy to recall. It happened back in March at a home in Longmont. She had gone to the home to pick up belongings belonging to a friend who had recently ended a relationship with Andreae.
But as she left, Andreae attacked her, held a knife to her throat and sexually assaulted her.
When asked if she thought he was going to kill her, she replied, "I did."
Janis' friend called police when she didn't come out of the home.
"When patrol got there and kicked in the front door, they heard screaming from downstairs and they kicked in the bathroom door where they found, they found the sex assualt in progress, " said Longmont Police Detective Sandy Esters.
Esters said putting Andreae behind bars wouldn't have happened if not for the courage of Janis, who is determined not to live her life in fear and not to let her attacker hurt anyone else.
"There is justice and people to believe you," said Esters.
"I feel a lot of relief in that he's getting what he deserves to get," said Janis. "I gave him up to God. And I did forgive him, but I'll never forget what he did."
Because of the support of the Longmont police, Janis intends to become a victim's advocate and help other survivors of violent crime.
