So I am about to massively air my dirty laundry…in the next two weeks I will be travelling front Vancouver (YVR) to Ottawa (YOW) to press charges against my ex boyfriend. We dated for five years off and on whilst I was struggling with health problems. These issues caused me to not trust my own judgement and instead I relied on him. I made excuses for him, defended his actions, believed him when he gaslit me. And when I finally left him after he assaulted me too severely for me to let it go, he started stalking me. We broke up in June 2015. Over the next almost two years, he proceeded to stalk and harass me. Despite me moving several 100 km away from him, he just kept showing up. Every encounter would leave me anxious and triggered. All of this culminated in him attacking me on my university campus in January, and then following me to Japan on January 21 where I was part of an archaeological dig. Having him follow me to an entire other country was the push I needed to file charges. Now comes the embarrassing part, I was told when I came forward that my legal counsel and travel to Ottawa would all be provided for or covered by the local charities. When I got an email this morning asking if I had purchased my round trip plane ticket I cried.
A round trip flight from YVR to YOW for the weekend is $1427, and I can not afford that so last minute. I am now forced to air my laundry to strangers in an attempt to finally escape my abuser. I don’t expect the internet to cover even close to half of it, and I am trying to get my friends and family to help, but any aid would be truly appreciated.