Following a nearly fatal acid attack in 2008, Katie Piper has spoken openly about turning 40, a milestone she had always imagined she would never reach.
Broadcaster and campaigner Katie Piper has described turning 40 as a milestone she never expected to reach, reflecting on the traumatic events that nearly claimed her life 17 years ago.
In an interview with The Times, the Loose Women panellist said she was surprised by the negative societal attitudes surrounding women ageing, particularly given the life-threatening ordeal she endured in her twenties.
Because turning 40 was only ever positive, Piper said, “It was quite shocking for me.” It marked the culmination of my life and a milestone I didn’t anticipate going to achieve.
When her ex-boyfriend Daniel Lynch planned an acid attack on her at the age of 24, Piper suffered life-changing injuries. Stefan Sylvestre, 19, was set up to throw sulfuric acid in her face just two days after Lynch sexually assaulted and stabbed her.
Piper suffered extensive burns and permanent harm, including losing her nose, a portion of her ear, her eyelids, and partially vision in one eye as a result of the attack. She received treatment at a London specialist burns unit, where pioneering reconstructive procedures, including the first skin substitute for the face in the UK, were performed.
Additionally, her mouth and tongue needed extensive surgery due to her injuries. Despite her injuries’ extent, Piper has since continued to pursue a successful career in broadcasting and advocacy.
In the years following the attack, she waived her right to anonymity and told her story in the Channel 4 documentary Katie: My Beautiful Face, which brought national attention to the issue of acid attacks.
She founded The Katie Piper Foundation in 2009 to provide care and rehabilitation for burn victims. She received an OBE in 2022 for her work helping victims of burns and other paralysis.
She joined the panel of ITV’s Loose Women in 2021 and previously competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2018. Piper has also published a best-selling autobiography and continues to use her platform to raise awareness about visible difference and resilience.
Piper made it clear that the attack had a negative impact on her public image, but she said she didn’t want it to define her accomplishments.
She said, “I don’t feel like a pop star or an actress.” I was the subject of a violent crime that brought me to the attention of the media. I hope I’m doing something different now that 17 years have passed, but I think it’s probably unfair of me to say, “I don’t want to talk about the burns and the attack anymore.”
She continued, “I don’t want to attribute my success [since] to that man’s actions against me.”
Piper claimed that her own resilience and perseverance should be the sole source of her continued success. The public begins to accept visibly different people doing a lot of different things if I’m seen laughing about something completely different or presenting a completely different show on Loose Women. And that’s when acceptance and inclusion occur,” she said.
Piper has two daughters, Belle, 11, and Penelope, 7, with carpenter Richard Sutton, who she lives with since her recovery. After Piper had an emergency eye operation, the couple made up their minds to have a third child.
Piper recalled the initial presumptions about her future and how she was once expected to live a constrained life. It was assumed that I would depend on [my] parents and lead a subpar life for a while, she said. The rule book had to be written for me, I thought.
Daniel Lynch was found guilty of rape, grievous bodily harm, and actual bodily harm, and given a life sentence that would have required a minimum term of 16 years. After serving nine years in prison, Sylvestre was given a minimum sentence of life, with a minimum of six years, and was released in 2018. Next month, Lynch is scheduled to appear before a parole board.
Piper is still working to improve understanding and support for people who have visible differences and uses her platform to promote greater inclusivity and resilience in public life.
If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
Source: Mirror
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