A mum who almost died at the hands of an abusive partner has joined forces with a celebrity therapist to offer help to other domestic abuse victims. Emma Cranston was savagely attacked by a former partner, who forbid her to wear make-up and forced her to give up her job.
George Arathoon beat Emma so badly one night that she had to be air-lifted to hospital, yet tricked her into thinking she couldn't live without him. After eventually escaping the relationship, the mum-of-two has since retrained in psychotherapy and formed a friendship with TV therapist Robert Hisee.
Emma, 39, was attacked by her ex-partner Arathoon in February 2018. He was later handed a five-year prison sentence for the assault.
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She met George when he moved into her street in Cheshire in 2010. “George was 10 years younger than me, but we became pals and it went from there. He was very charming and funny, and I felt I could tell him anything," Emma said.
In 2013 they moved in together, but the relationship quickly became volatile and violent. “Each time he managed to convince me it was my fault, he told me I was as bad as him," she said.
“I started to think it was wrong to stand up for myself and I began to think I couldn’t live without him. I didn’t see my friends. I didn’t go anywhere without George.
“I wasn’t allowed to wear make-up or false tan or dress up nicely, and in the end, I just gave up. I suppose the fight just went out of me. It was easier to do as I was told.
“I had a good job in a call centre but he made me leave because there were other men there. I was living in a constant state of fear.”
In February 2018, George launched an attack that almost killed her. Emma explained: “We had been out for the evening, and I was driving us home. I turned the music up in the car and that was enough to make George flip.”
George inflicted injuries so severe that Emma was air-lifted to hospital. She suffered multiple broken ribs, and a punctured lung which resulted in blood collecting in between her chest wall and her lung.
Doctors also found old healing fractures from earlier attacks. They told Emma she was at risk of a heart attack and was lucky to be alive.
She needed surgery to fit metal plates and pins into her back and ribs and had three ribs completely rebuilt. But, despite her ordeal, Emma admits she still had reservations about speaking to the police.
On Valentine’s Day 2018, she finally plucked up the courage to seek justice. George Arathoon was convicted in July 2018 of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, inflicting grievous bodily harm and intimidation.
He was jailed for five years at Chester Crown Court. A restraining order was also put in place to stop him from contacting Emma or her family.
Emma has since thrown herself into helping other women, setting up a support group, ‘Love Doesn’t Hurt’, which reaches across the globe, with over half a million followers. And earlier this month, she teamed up with Robert Hisee, who will offer his therapies via the support group.
Robert, ‘The Hypnotist Man,’ has worked with celebrities like Lauren Goodger, Dame Kelly Holmes, Tom Zanetti, Paul Gascoigne and Gemma Collins, using his own Unconscious Mind Therapy. Emma and Robert, 44, say they have the support of MPs and hope to be granted charitable status soon.
Emma said: “I am so excited to be working with Robert, I have huge admiration for him. I signed up for one of his courses and I have never looked back. So many women I meet have psychological and physical damage and our programme focuses on recovery.”
‘Love Doesn’t Hurt’ offers abuse and trauma recovery using 'unconscious mind therapy' which promises to help transform thoughts, feelings, emotions , habits and beliefs to help people get over domestic and emotional abuse.
Robert said: “We want to create an environment where it is safe to talk and heal – and where they can all help each other too.
"People need that sort of encouragement and support. It’s about recovery and moving forwards. This is a place for traumatised people to access my expertise in a safe place.”
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