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The rape victim of an MMA fighter has spoken publicly about the ordeal after their attacker was found guilty in court.
A jury at Glasgow High Court in Scotland determined that Paul Callanin, a mixed martial arts-trained 35-year-old, had raped three women in abhorrent attacks between 2005 and 2013.
Callanin, who was a member of many local bands, including Forever Broken, Dancing with Dakota and Grey Caliber, made his MMA debut in 2017. The Bonhill native competed in honor of Jonathan Dynowski, a friend of his who lost his battle with cancer, under the Ultra MMA banner.
[embedded content]
But the true monstrous nature of Callanin, who worked at Kevin’s Barbers in Jamestown at the time of his MMA victory, has since emerged.
Having been accused of multiple rapes a number of years ago, the details of the 35-year-old’s attacks were finally unearthed at a recent trial. The jury heard that he’d attacked his first victim at different addresses in Alexandria in 2005, pushing the woman onto a bed, holding her down, and raping her.
Callanin’s second attack took place on Christmas Day in 2011, with the musician and barber sexually assaulting a woman in the car park of the Desire Nightclub in Balloch. Jurors heard how he’d bitten his victim during the initial rape before committing the horrific act again at a flat in Renton on the same day.
The third victim, who waived their right to anonymity, was Violet Fox in 2013. The 33-year-old reported her ordeal in 2020 after hearing of others who’d been through the same experience on social media.
During an interview with the Daily Record following the trial, Violet recalled the horrific attacks, which came at the hands of someone they considered to be a “pal.”
“We were hanging out at my photography studio in Dumbarton. We’d been drinking and we used to hang out there all the time after work,” Violet said. “We were pals and you should feel safe with your pals. He pinned me to the floor and sexually assaulted me twice. He then put me in a taxi and took me to his flat in Bonhill where he raped me.
“He was a fighter and into MMA. He was training for all that and I vividly remember struggling and shouting for him to stop when he was pinning me down, and he was hurting me. I couldn’t get him off me. I remember him being so, so strong,” the victim continued. “I confronted him the following weekend. I tried talking to him. I went to one of his gigs to try and talk to him but he brushed me off and didn’t want to speak to me.”
Rape Victim Of MMA Fighter Recalls “Mental Torture”
In the aftermath of Callanin’s vicious rape, Violet recalled being in denial about the incident. They described that period and thought process as “mental torture,” something that ultimately forced them to leave the area.
“To begin with, I was in denial for a long time,” Violet explained. “For ages, I didn’t want to accept what happened was rape because the minute you accept it, the minute you’ve got to deal with it. I questioned myself and doubted my own mind for such a long time. It was mental torture.
“I told my pals and they were like, ‘That’s not consensual. This isn’t right.’ I just felt sick every time I walked into my studio and be reminded of what he did in that room. I started to not be able to manage my work any more. I struggled to put a brave face on,” Violet added. “Eventually I left the area as I felt sick to my stomach and couldn’t cope at all. I had a complete mental breakdown. I went to the peace camp and flung myself into campaigning there.”
While Violet had endured the trauma and memory of the attacks for years, the start of justice began when they spotted accounts of similar incidents online. That’s when Violet decided to confide in their family before contacting the police.
With the incidents going public, though, things only got harder for Violet as they began to interact in public with those familiar with both them and Callanin, whom they branded ‘remorseless’.
“Anonymous stories started to be submitted on Twitter and I submitted mine. That’s when I realized there were others affected,” Violet recalled. “We had mutual friends but none of us knew each other before this… I went to the police, and I just hoped other people would come forward. That’s when I also told my mum and my sister. At that point I had to tell my whole family. It’s broke my mum.
“The gossip and rumors across the area were horrible. I couldn’t even do my Asda shopping without being told he’d been in telling everybody that it had been dropped and wasn’t getting to court because I was a liar.” Violet continued. “He’s shown no remorse. He was given so many chances to plead guilty, but he didn’t.”
And despite the 35-year-old MMA fighter being on trial at Glasgow High Court, Violet felt as if they were the one under the microscope as they took to the stand.
Image: PA Media
“The court process was horrible. I felt like I was on trial,” Violet said. “When you’re being ripped apart publicly, it’s hard.”
Now, though, Violet is looking to aid those who’ve been through similar experiences by speaking out and making sure their story is told.
Having been driven to the point of suicide in the years after the rapes, the 33-year-old is happy to now have the chance to take her life back while her attacker occupies a prison cell.
“I’m not going to be silenced by anybody now. I have PTSD. I get nightmares and flashbacks. I took an overdose in autumn last year as I couldn’t cope with the thought of the trial.” Violet admitted. “The thought of standing up in court got too much and I just thought, ‘I can’t do this.’ After sitting in that court room, I feel like I can take on the world. He’s sitting in a cell and can’t come near me.”
Quotes h/t Daily Record.
The rape victim of an MMA fighter has spoken publicly about the ordeal after their attacker was found guilty in court.
A jury at Glasgow High Court in Scotland determined that Paul Callanin, a mixed martial arts-trained 35-year-old, had raped three women in abhorrent attacks between 2005 and 2013.
Callanin, who was a member of many local bands, including Forever Broken, Dancing with Dakota and Grey Caliber, made his MMA debut in 2017. The Bonhill native competed in honor of Jonathan Dynowski, a friend of his who lost his battle with cancer, under the Ultra MMA banner.
But the true monstrous nature of Callanin, who worked at Kevin’s Barbers in Jamestown at the time of his MMA victory, has since emerged.
Having been accused of multiple rapes a number of years ago, the details of the 35-year-old’s attacks were finally unearthed at a recent trial. The jury heard that he’d attacked his first victim at different addresses in Alexandria in 2005, pushing the woman onto a bed, holding her down, and raping her.
Callanin’s second attack took place on Christmas Day in 2011, with the musician and barber sexually assaulting a woman in the car park of the Desire Nightclub in Balloch. Jurors heard how he’d bitten his victim during the initial rape before committing the horrific act again at a flat in Renton on the same day.
The third victim, who waived their right to anonymity, was Violet Fox in 2013. The 33-year-old reported her ordeal in 2020 after hearing of others who’d been through the same experience on social media.
During an interview with the Daily Record following the trial, Violet recalled the horrific attacks, which came at the hands of someone they considered to be a “pal.”
“We were hanging out at my photography studio in Dumbarton. We’d been drinking and we used to hang out there all the time after work,” Violet said. “We were pals and you should feel safe with your pals. He pinned me to the floor and sexually assaulted me twice. He then put me in a taxi and took me to his flat in Bonhill where he raped me.
“He was a fighter and into MMA. He was training for all that and I vividly remember struggling and shouting for him to stop when he was pinning me down, and he was hurting me. I couldn’t get him off me. I remember him being so, so strong,” the victim continued. “I confronted him the following weekend. I tried talking to him. I went to one of his gigs to try and talk to him but he brushed me off and didn’t want to speak to me.”
Rape Victim Of MMA Fighter Recalls “Mental Torture”
In the aftermath of Callanin’s vicious rape, Violet recalled being in denial about the incident. They described that period and thought process as “mental torture,” something that ultimately forced them to leave the area.
“To begin with, I was in denial for a long time,” Violet explained. “For ages, I didn’t want to accept what happened was rape because the minute you accept it, the minute you’ve got to deal with it. I questioned myself and doubted my own mind for such a long time. It was mental torture.
“I told my pals and they were like, ‘That’s not consensual. This isn’t right.’ I just felt sick every time I walked into my studio and be reminded of what he did in that room. I started to not be able to manage my work any more. I struggled to put a brave face on,” Violet added. “Eventually I left the area as I felt sick to my stomach and couldn’t cope at all. I had a complete mental breakdown. I went to the peace camp and flung myself into campaigning there.”
While Violet had endured the trauma and memory of the attacks for years, the start of justice began when they spotted accounts of similar incidents online. That’s when Violet decided to confide in their family before contacting the police.
With the incidents going public, though, things only got harder for Violet as they began to interact in public with those familiar with both them and Callanin, whom they branded ‘remorseless’.
“Anonymous stories started to be submitted on Twitter and I submitted mine. That’s when I realized there were others affected,” Violet recalled. “We had mutual friends but none of us knew each other before this… I went to the police, and I just hoped other people would come forward. That’s when I also told my mum and my sister. At that point I had to tell my whole family. It’s broke my mum.
“The gossip and rumors across the area were horrible. I couldn’t even do my Asda shopping without being told he’d been in telling everybody that it had been dropped and wasn’t getting to court because I was a liar.” Violet continued. “He’s shown no remorse. He was given so many chances to plead guilty, but he didn’t.”
And despite the 35-year-old MMA fighter being on trial at Glasgow High Court, Violet felt as if they were the one under the microscope as they took to the stand.
Image: PA Media
“The court process was horrible. I felt like I was on trial,” Violet said. “When you’re being ripped apart publicly, it’s hard.”
Now, though, Violet is looking to aid those who’ve been through similar experiences by speaking out and making sure their story is told.
Having been driven to the point of suicide in the years after the rapes, the 33-year-old is happy to now have the chance to take her life back while her attacker occupies a prison cell.
“I’m not going to be silenced by anybody now. I have PTSD. I get nightmares and flashbacks. I took an overdose in autumn last year as I couldn’t cope with the thought of the trial.” Violet admitted. “The thought of standing up in court got too much and I just thought, ‘I can’t do this.’ After sitting in that court room, I feel like I can take on the world. He’s sitting in a cell and can’t come near me.”
Quotes h/t Daily Record.
Click here to view the article.
A jury at Glasgow High Court in Scotland determined that Paul Callanin, a mixed martial arts-trained 35-year-old, had raped three women in abhorrent attacks between 2005 and 2013.
Callanin, who was a member of many local bands, including Forever Broken, Dancing with Dakota and Grey Caliber, made his MMA debut in 2017. The Bonhill native competed in honor of Jonathan Dynowski, a friend of his who lost his battle with cancer, under the Ultra MMA banner.
[embedded content]
But the true monstrous nature of Callanin, who worked at Kevin’s Barbers in Jamestown at the time of his MMA victory, has since emerged.
Having been accused of multiple rapes a number of years ago, the details of the 35-year-old’s attacks were finally unearthed at a recent trial. The jury heard that he’d attacked his first victim at different addresses in Alexandria in 2005, pushing the woman onto a bed, holding her down, and raping her.
Callanin’s second attack took place on Christmas Day in 2011, with the musician and barber sexually assaulting a woman in the car park of the Desire Nightclub in Balloch. Jurors heard how he’d bitten his victim during the initial rape before committing the horrific act again at a flat in Renton on the same day.
The third victim, who waived their right to anonymity, was Violet Fox in 2013. The 33-year-old reported her ordeal in 2020 after hearing of others who’d been through the same experience on social media.
During an interview with the Daily Record following the trial, Violet recalled the horrific attacks, which came at the hands of someone they considered to be a “pal.”
“We were hanging out at my photography studio in Dumbarton. We’d been drinking and we used to hang out there all the time after work,” Violet said. “We were pals and you should feel safe with your pals. He pinned me to the floor and sexually assaulted me twice. He then put me in a taxi and took me to his flat in Bonhill where he raped me.
“He was a fighter and into MMA. He was training for all that and I vividly remember struggling and shouting for him to stop when he was pinning me down, and he was hurting me. I couldn’t get him off me. I remember him being so, so strong,” the victim continued. “I confronted him the following weekend. I tried talking to him. I went to one of his gigs to try and talk to him but he brushed me off and didn’t want to speak to me.”
Rape Victim Of MMA Fighter Recalls “Mental Torture”
In the aftermath of Callanin’s vicious rape, Violet recalled being in denial about the incident. They described that period and thought process as “mental torture,” something that ultimately forced them to leave the area.
“To begin with, I was in denial for a long time,” Violet explained. “For ages, I didn’t want to accept what happened was rape because the minute you accept it, the minute you’ve got to deal with it. I questioned myself and doubted my own mind for such a long time. It was mental torture.
“I told my pals and they were like, ‘That’s not consensual. This isn’t right.’ I just felt sick every time I walked into my studio and be reminded of what he did in that room. I started to not be able to manage my work any more. I struggled to put a brave face on,” Violet added. “Eventually I left the area as I felt sick to my stomach and couldn’t cope at all. I had a complete mental breakdown. I went to the peace camp and flung myself into campaigning there.”
While Violet had endured the trauma and memory of the attacks for years, the start of justice began when they spotted accounts of similar incidents online. That’s when Violet decided to confide in their family before contacting the police.
With the incidents going public, though, things only got harder for Violet as they began to interact in public with those familiar with both them and Callanin, whom they branded ‘remorseless’.
“Anonymous stories started to be submitted on Twitter and I submitted mine. That’s when I realized there were others affected,” Violet recalled. “We had mutual friends but none of us knew each other before this… I went to the police, and I just hoped other people would come forward. That’s when I also told my mum and my sister. At that point I had to tell my whole family. It’s broke my mum.
“The gossip and rumors across the area were horrible. I couldn’t even do my Asda shopping without being told he’d been in telling everybody that it had been dropped and wasn’t getting to court because I was a liar.” Violet continued. “He’s shown no remorse. He was given so many chances to plead guilty, but he didn’t.”
And despite the 35-year-old MMA fighter being on trial at Glasgow High Court, Violet felt as if they were the one under the microscope as they took to the stand.
Image: PA Media
“The court process was horrible. I felt like I was on trial,” Violet said. “When you’re being ripped apart publicly, it’s hard.”
Now, though, Violet is looking to aid those who’ve been through similar experiences by speaking out and making sure their story is told.
Having been driven to the point of suicide in the years after the rapes, the 33-year-old is happy to now have the chance to take her life back while her attacker occupies a prison cell.
“I’m not going to be silenced by anybody now. I have PTSD. I get nightmares and flashbacks. I took an overdose in autumn last year as I couldn’t cope with the thought of the trial.” Violet admitted. “The thought of standing up in court got too much and I just thought, ‘I can’t do this.’ After sitting in that court room, I feel like I can take on the world. He’s sitting in a cell and can’t come near me.”
Quotes h/t Daily Record.
The rape victim of an MMA fighter has spoken publicly about the ordeal after their attacker was found guilty in court.
A jury at Glasgow High Court in Scotland determined that Paul Callanin, a mixed martial arts-trained 35-year-old, had raped three women in abhorrent attacks between 2005 and 2013.
Callanin, who was a member of many local bands, including Forever Broken, Dancing with Dakota and Grey Caliber, made his MMA debut in 2017. The Bonhill native competed in honor of Jonathan Dynowski, a friend of his who lost his battle with cancer, under the Ultra MMA banner.
But the true monstrous nature of Callanin, who worked at Kevin’s Barbers in Jamestown at the time of his MMA victory, has since emerged.
Having been accused of multiple rapes a number of years ago, the details of the 35-year-old’s attacks were finally unearthed at a recent trial. The jury heard that he’d attacked his first victim at different addresses in Alexandria in 2005, pushing the woman onto a bed, holding her down, and raping her.
Callanin’s second attack took place on Christmas Day in 2011, with the musician and barber sexually assaulting a woman in the car park of the Desire Nightclub in Balloch. Jurors heard how he’d bitten his victim during the initial rape before committing the horrific act again at a flat in Renton on the same day.
The third victim, who waived their right to anonymity, was Violet Fox in 2013. The 33-year-old reported her ordeal in 2020 after hearing of others who’d been through the same experience on social media.
During an interview with the Daily Record following the trial, Violet recalled the horrific attacks, which came at the hands of someone they considered to be a “pal.”
“We were hanging out at my photography studio in Dumbarton. We’d been drinking and we used to hang out there all the time after work,” Violet said. “We were pals and you should feel safe with your pals. He pinned me to the floor and sexually assaulted me twice. He then put me in a taxi and took me to his flat in Bonhill where he raped me.
“He was a fighter and into MMA. He was training for all that and I vividly remember struggling and shouting for him to stop when he was pinning me down, and he was hurting me. I couldn’t get him off me. I remember him being so, so strong,” the victim continued. “I confronted him the following weekend. I tried talking to him. I went to one of his gigs to try and talk to him but he brushed me off and didn’t want to speak to me.”
Rape Victim Of MMA Fighter Recalls “Mental Torture”
In the aftermath of Callanin’s vicious rape, Violet recalled being in denial about the incident. They described that period and thought process as “mental torture,” something that ultimately forced them to leave the area.
“To begin with, I was in denial for a long time,” Violet explained. “For ages, I didn’t want to accept what happened was rape because the minute you accept it, the minute you’ve got to deal with it. I questioned myself and doubted my own mind for such a long time. It was mental torture.
“I told my pals and they were like, ‘That’s not consensual. This isn’t right.’ I just felt sick every time I walked into my studio and be reminded of what he did in that room. I started to not be able to manage my work any more. I struggled to put a brave face on,” Violet added. “Eventually I left the area as I felt sick to my stomach and couldn’t cope at all. I had a complete mental breakdown. I went to the peace camp and flung myself into campaigning there.”
While Violet had endured the trauma and memory of the attacks for years, the start of justice began when they spotted accounts of similar incidents online. That’s when Violet decided to confide in their family before contacting the police.
With the incidents going public, though, things only got harder for Violet as they began to interact in public with those familiar with both them and Callanin, whom they branded ‘remorseless’.
“Anonymous stories started to be submitted on Twitter and I submitted mine. That’s when I realized there were others affected,” Violet recalled. “We had mutual friends but none of us knew each other before this… I went to the police, and I just hoped other people would come forward. That’s when I also told my mum and my sister. At that point I had to tell my whole family. It’s broke my mum.
“The gossip and rumors across the area were horrible. I couldn’t even do my Asda shopping without being told he’d been in telling everybody that it had been dropped and wasn’t getting to court because I was a liar.” Violet continued. “He’s shown no remorse. He was given so many chances to plead guilty, but he didn’t.”
And despite the 35-year-old MMA fighter being on trial at Glasgow High Court, Violet felt as if they were the one under the microscope as they took to the stand.
“The court process was horrible. I felt like I was on trial,” Violet said. “When you’re being ripped apart publicly, it’s hard.”
Now, though, Violet is looking to aid those who’ve been through similar experiences by speaking out and making sure their story is told.
Having been driven to the point of suicide in the years after the rapes, the 33-year-old is happy to now have the chance to take her life back while her attacker occupies a prison cell.
“I’m not going to be silenced by anybody now. I have PTSD. I get nightmares and flashbacks. I took an overdose in autumn last year as I couldn’t cope with the thought of the trial.” Violet admitted. “The thought of standing up in court got too much and I just thought, ‘I can’t do this.’ After sitting in that court room, I feel like I can take on the world. He’s sitting in a cell and can’t come near me.”
Quotes h/t Daily Record.
Click here to view the article.
