Angela Hay: Tinder stalker victim seeks counselling for survivor guilt

EXCLUSIVE: THE young doctor stabbed and doused in petrol by a Tinder stalker is seeking counselling to cope with the condition called survivor’s guilt.

Angela Jay, with sister Danielle Walker, thought she was going to bleed to death after being stabbed by Paul Lambert after he broke into her Port Macquarie home. Picture: Toby Zerna

• I’M JUST GLAD MY ATTACKER IS DEAD, SAYS ANGELA
• POLICE SHOT DEAD MAN AFTER HE STALKED DOCTOR

THE young doctor repeatedly stabbed and doused in petrol by a Tinder stalker is seeking counselling to cope with a little-known condition called survivor’s guilt.

Angela Jay has spoken about the condition with The Daily Telegraph as part of shining a light on domestic violence in Australia.

Angela has vowed to not let the savage November 3 attack by Paul Lambert destroy her life.

Four months after her miraculous escape from his clutches, the trainee obstetrician and gynaecologist has revealed she is seeing a psychologist to help come to terms with the profound guilt of surviving when other victims of domestic violence aren’t so “lucky”.

Trainee obstetrician and gynaecologist Angela is determined not to let the assault destroy her life but she is still troubled by nightmares. Picture: Toby Zerna

Police shot dead attacker Paul Lambert on the Pacific Highway at Bonville after a pursuit. Picture: Facebook

“I have got a psychologist on my side to deal with the impact of what I went through,” the 28-year-old said.

“People say that I’m a survivor — I feel it’s not deserved. There are women who have suffered abusive relationships for years who still live in fear and have their perpetrators out there.

Dr Jay talked her neighbour through how to treat her before help arrived. Picture: Nathan Edwards

“I was in a brief relationship, felt those feelings for a brief period of time, miraculously survived and now don’t have to live in fear of my attacker (who was shot dead by police). I feel incredibly lucky but it breaks my heart when I hear of people who haven’t made it.”

The Californian-born doctor, who was raised on Australia’s Central Coast, has now taken up the gauntlet for anti-domestic violence charity White Ribbon walking its 65km Trek For Respect in September with members of her family. Yesterday she had raised $15,700 of her $20,000 target.

Angela has moved from Port Macquarie to the Central Coast to be close to family and friends.

Angela doesn’t blame the app. “It’s part of our generation,” she said. Picture: Toby Zerna

“Domestic violence has now become my pet project,” she said. “I work in women’s health, it’s always in the background of our minds when caring for our patients ... (But) it wasn’t until I encountered this myself that I realised how powerless women feel.

“Taking that step of telling someone and getting help early is important.”

ANGELA WILL BE TAKING PART IN A WHITE RIBBON CHARITY WALK IN SEPTEMBER. TO SPONSOR HER CLICK HERE

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