Women relive violent nightmare

Two Bay women - one of whom is pregnant - believe they are lucky to be alive after the man they both loved violently attacked them.
Jonathan Matthew Hopwood, a 27 year-old labourer, punched the mother of his child in the stomach and fractured his second girlfriend's jaw with a single blow.
In Tauranga District Court yesterday, Hopwood was jailed for two years and three months on eight charges including assault with intent to injure, male assaults female, wilful damage and burglary.
In a brave move, Hopwood's two victims, Anna, 20, and Julie, 22, (not their real names), have spoken out about domestic violence in the hope it can help save other women from vicious relationships.
Hopwood may have won their hearts but he did not tell them he was seeing them both at the same time.
And unfortunately, both women suffered the same fate.
In January this year, Hopwood beat Anna, his partner of 18 months, several times after receiving a text message from a friend about her.
He pinned her on a bed in their Church St home, slapped her face and punched her in the jaw.
Just six days later, another assault occurred and one month later the same events unfolded for Julie, who was two months pregnant at the time.
On February 9, Hopwood let himself into her home, verbally abused her and threw her onto the couch.
He then grabbed her around the throat and squeezed - she eventually broke free and ran for help.
The following week during a heated discussion, Hopwood grabbed Julie around the neck and banged her head against the pillar of the car door.
He later hit her in the face, repeatedly hit her in the stomach, as well as kicked her car.
In an unusual turn of events, the two battered women have since banded together to help each other rebuild their lives.
Julie and Anna agreed they had high self-esteem when they started their relationships with Hopwood but gradually he eroded that by violence and psychological abuse.
"There is no question that he could have killed one of us," said Julie.
Both young women had good jobs but wound up on drugs for depression by the time they decided to split from Hopwood.
Julie said she knew the violence had to stop when he threatened to kill their unborn baby.
"I was scared of going to the police. Scared because he had threatened me not to go to police. But the violence just had to stop."
She said police were understanding and wanted to keep her and her four-year-old son safe.
"You think that it (domestic violence) only happens to people who are in bad situations in their lives but it does happen to good people.
"You just have to be strong and know that you deserve better.
"You are not losing anything by getting them out of your life. You in fact gain back your life."
Julie said she had been subjected to Hopwood's violent outbursts regularly before deciding to report him.
He played mind games and made you think you had bought things on yourself.
Anna said when she heard through a mutual friend that Julie had gone to the police over Hopwood's bashings, she made contact.
They got together and "filled in all the gaps for each other".
"I believed I loved him and all the bad stuff was pushed into a corner and I pretended it was all roses," said Anna, echoing Julie's story.
"I knew he was lying to me. He would have his way of making it ok and making me believe it was my fault."
Anna said women in a violent situation with kids was no reason to stay. "It's wrecking the kids as well."
She said Hopwood preyed on her insecurities.
"There is something about him - he makes you feel so special, like you are the only one."
The turning point for her was when she was severely beaten and "the only chance I had was the police".
"Before then I never thought about going to police. I knew he would go to jail and I still thought I loved him.
"Trust the police, they are on your side," she urged. "They try and make it as easy as they can."
Since meeting, the two women have supported each other and gone to counselling.
"It's important you find some one you can trust," Anna said.
"Put yourself first and think of how you are going to end up in the long run."