My former husband may believe that when the restraining order ends, everything simply disappears.

That the years of abuse, the criminal proceedings, the evidence, and the impact on my life can somehow be swept under the carpet, just as he and his family have always tried to do by presenting a very different picture to the outside world.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The legal process has taken its course. Appeals have been considered and dismissed, and the evidence remains part of the official record. What happened cannot simply be erased because time has passed.

For me, one of the greatest reassurances is knowing that my case has been documented within Spain’s protection system. The statements, photographs, reports, and other evidence do not vanish when a restraining order expires. They form part of the history that the authorities can consider if future concerns arise, helping them understand the context rather than requiring a victim to start from the beginning again.

That knowledge brings me peace of mind.

Domestic abuse is not an isolated incident that can simply be forgotten. It often follows patterns of behaviour, and recognising those patterns is an important part of protecting victims and assessing future risk.

I no longer live in fear of my past being ignored or rewritten.

The truth has been documented.

The evidence exists.

My voice has been heard.

For survivors, that matters. It means that if further concerns ever arise, they can be considered in the context of what has already been established, rather than as though they happened in isolation.

Abuse does not disappear because someone wishes it had never been exposed.

And neither does the courage it takes to stand up and say, “This happened to me.”

That is something no one can ever take away.