“I’m not your victim, I’m a miracle" - brave Tina Turner speaks about being stabbed 29 times by partner and left to die to help others suffering domestic abuse
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Martina (Tina) Turner, 54 was stabbed with several knives 29 times by her partner Steven Wood before he locked her in the house and left her to die on May 21 last year.
Doctors later told her she was lucky to be alive after the ordeal, which saw her admitted to hospital with a blade still embedded in her chest.
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Hide AdFollowing an investigation by detectives from Northumbria Police, Wood was arrested and on January 17 convicted of attempted murder.
On Friday, July 22 he was sentenced to life at Newcastle Crown Court and must serve a minimum of 12 years behind bars.
Tina now hopes to show people that domestic abuse can take many forms, and there’s no shame in asking for help.
She said: “I was so besotted and so much in love with Steven. We had been living together over a year and had planned the rest of our lives together.
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Hide Ad“As I begged for my life, as I told him we could talk about anything, he told me “no, I have to finish you off because I am not going to prison for you.” That sentence stays with me, I hear it every day in my head. I think it will stay with me the rest of my life. I feel so naïve, stupid, so manipulated.”
The pair had been together for two years and lived together for a year in Gateshead before the attack.
But Tina, who has previously worked in education, believes Wood manipulated her caring nature and that she ignored the red flags which suggested something wasn’t right.
She added: “He was very insecure and needed constant reassurance that I loved him for who he was. He had never been violent but could be controlling and paranoid. He told me one of his ex-partners left him while he was at work. She had just emptied the house and disappeared. I wonder now if she left because she was terrified of him.”
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Hide AdDuring the course of their relationship, Wood told Tina that an ex-partner had fallen down the stairs during an argument, but police later told her that he had pushed her down the stairs with a metal pole.
She said: “I will celebrate May 21 as my second birthday – it wasn’t the day I died, it was the day I survived.
“Looking back, I think I ignored the signs. He told me he had Bipolar disorder and I helped him, we went to therapy, it’s in my nature to help people but that was my downfall with him, I didn’t see the red flags and didn’t take notice.
“My message to other people who might be in a similar position is please don’t let it get as far I did. When someone starts to intimidate you, take it seriously, don’t wait until it’s too late and they attack you.”
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Hide AdAnyone who has been affected by domestic abuse, or wants to report violence, inappropriate behaviour or any concerns is asked to get in touch with police using the ‘Tell us Something’ page on their website.