Rise Like the Phoenix

This book is an essential read, presenting an undiluted, uncensored case study of domestic violence at its worst – torture, manipulation, and abuse (psychological, physical, emotional, financial). Written from the first-person’s perspective of the author – an Australian physician, psychiatrist, psychologist and academic – this biographical account will provide an authentic, ground-breaking clinical experience for all students, teachers, academics, and practitioners.

In this book, the author shares her harrowing experiences with gender-based violence (GBV), torture, and multiple forms of systemic injustice. Once a single mother with a thriving private practice in Australia, Dr Langley's life changed when she met Rob, a manipulative, sadistic, narcissistic abuser and member of a criminal network. Despite her efforts to leave him, she endured six and a half years of captivity, during which she was subjected to severe abuse, including rape, leading to the birth of her son, Cayden. After finally escaping, Dr. Langley faced a new nightmare: The Australian legal and justice system - despite being placed in witness protection, she experienced homelessness and multiple, continued institutionalised abuse while government authorities denied her support and, instead, persecuted her for protecting her son. Dr Langley was left with no choice but to flee Australia and live in exile with her son. Years later, finally settled and safe from Rob, though not from the real perpetrators – the Australian government and international agencies / legislations such as Interpol and the Hague Convention that have been weaponised against mothers like herself – Dr Langley established LIFT, an NGO that advocates for single parent-victims of gender-based violence (GBV) who have been wrongfully persecuted by their respective governments and have been forced to live in exile with their children (or who have had their children forcefully taken away from them). Till this day, Dr Langley continues to fight for justice and promote therapeutic assistance, awareness and education for the mental wellbeing of wrongfully persecuted GBV victims and their children.

The book also explores the deeper, multifaceted, complex nature of GBV: the failures, incompetence, negligence, corruption and weaponisation of national and international legal, policing and medical systems which continue to perpetrate GBV, institutionalised abuse and discrimination against victims long after they have left their abusive partners. This critical volume will impart raw insights to students, academics, professionals, policy makers and general readers from various fields (mental health, psychology, counselling, psychiatry, medicine, social work, community health, law, policing, politics and more) to allow them to better understand GBV and systemic abuse across multidisciplinary domains on an international scope. This book is a message that must be shared; a voice that must be heard; the truth that must be told.