Sexual Assault Survivor's Testimony Released to Encourage Victims to Come Forward

Boston, MA - After a judge convicted her assailant to at least 12 years in prison, a Boston sexual assault survivor spoke out in court Friday, testifying to the long-term impact on her mental well-being and her decision to testify.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's office shared the woman's testimony in a press release Monday.

On Friday, a Suffolk Superior Court jury convicted William Berry, 41, of aggravated rape, aggravated burglary and breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony. Judge Frank Gaziano imposed a term of 12 to 16 years in prison, followed by eight years of probation.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's office protected the victim's identity and did not provide a name, but did release her statement from Friday's a court appearance.

“I had become afraid of things,” she told the court. “I was afraid of having my window open after dark and afraid of men on the street. ... Vulgar comments made to me on the street no longer simply rolled off, because I was living in a new reality where those men could actually hurt me."

According to the press release, she also spoke of her ongoing efforts to recover from the assault, the challenges of the trial and her thoughts on other potential victims.

“My greatest hope is that the outcome of this trial has made other women safer, so that others don’t have to force themselves to be okay,” she said.

In the press release, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley repeated assurances that her testimony would realize that hope.

“Above and beyond helping to protect the physical safety of other potential victims, I hope this survivor’s message reaches others who might be wrestling with the decision to disclose sexual assault and testify at a trial,” Conley said. “No matter who you are, no matter what happened, you can feel safe coming to us for help and we’ll do everything we can to support you.”

The conviction was won on the victim's testimony she awoke with Berry in her bed, sexually assaulting her, and DNA evidence that corroborated those allegations. The victim underwent a rape examination at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to collect DNA evidence, from which the Boston Police Crime Lab created a genetic profile that was identified as matching Berry. He was arrested roughly three months after the assault.

Unlike the victim who came forward in this case, numbers from the National Institute of Justice show the majority of rapes and sexual assaults are not reported to police. According to a study from 1992 through 2010, only 36 percent of rapes, 34 percent of attempted rapes and 26 percent of sexual assaults against females were reported.

Victims in an emergency situation should call 911, and can also call the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center's 24-hour hotline at 800-841-8371. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center provides medical advocacy, legal services, counseling, and other services to victims of rape and sexual assault.