Dumfries mum raising awareness of domestic abuse one year after daughter's death

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Dumfries mum is raising awareness of domestic abuse a year after her daughter died in hospital days after attempting to take her own life.Heartbroken Rochelle Gray believes 24-year-old Marley was driven to suicide by her former partner.Rochelle, 44, is now warning other victims and their families to speak out and ask for help if they find themselves in a domestic abuse situation.She said: “It won’t be brushed under the carpet if you ask for help.“There’s help available for victims so don’t put up with it.

And I’d urge any family members not to ignore warning signs if they think there’s something wrong.“Make sure you keep in touch with your loved one and keep the lines of communication open.”Marley’s ex-partner Dawson McAllister, 22, formerly of Castle Douglas, was taken to court where he eventually admitted carrying out a sustained campaign of domestic abuse between June 2019 and February 24 last year.He had denied the offences for seven months, forcing distraught Rochelle to prepare to give evidence against him.McAllister escaped a prison sentence at Dumfries Sheriff Court in September when he was sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid work, two years of attending the Caledonian Programme plus eight months of house arrest.A sheriff described his behaviour towards Marley as “controlling and awful” and told him he should be “utterly ashamed” of himself.Rochelle said: “Just before McAllister was charged the first time while Marley was still alive, the Scottish Parliament introduced the Domestic Abuse Act and people need to be aware of it.”The legislation covers not just physical abuse, but psychological and emotional treatment and coercive and controlling behaviour, where abusers isolate their victim from their friends and