Charleen Murphy has marked one year since her attack.
The social media star was attacked by a man at a Dublin hotel in February last year.
Craig O’Brien, 28, was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in November, after pleading guilty to assault causing harm to her at the Grafton Capital Hotel on February 10.
The influencer shared an inspiring video highlighting the progress she has made since the traumatising event last year, with “it gets better” written on the video.
In her caption, Charleen wrote: “Today marks a year since I was attacked. A year of healing, feeling anxiety, confusion, anger and every emotion you go through.”
“I wish I could go back and tell myself that even though you feel lonely in your feelings, you are never alone.”
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“My heart breaks for the girl in the first clips, I genuinely never thought I would ever feel like myself again but I wish I could tell myself that there will be days where it doesn’t cross your mind every hour and that day by day you get stronger even when you feel weak.”
“I’m so grateful for the amazing community of you I have on here that have been so supportive of me.”
“Along of course with my friends, family and Dano. I love yous all so much.”
“I’m so proud of myself for pushing myself through the uncomfortable times but also slowing down and letting myself feel.”
“And for anyone going through a tough time, even though there are of course still bad days, I promise you have got this, even when you think you don’t & you WILL get your spark back🩷”
In December, the 24-year-old described the horrific ordeal in detail on her podcast Hold My Drink which she co-hosts with Ellie Kelly.
Charleen informed her listeners how the incident has affected her since and admitted that she doesn’t want to “feel defined” by her attack and that appearing in court and getting justice felt like “the end of a chapter” for her.
Charleen said: “I don’t want to feel like… defined by it…like that was something that had happened and life goes on like, like something new happens the next day and like yeah its just… as mad as it is life just keeps going.”
“And I found that really…like weird.”
She continued: “That was the first time like… my life was put on hold, but life keeps going, things keep going, people are still working, like… your life stands still, but other people’s doesn’t.”
“And like that was weird, and like I found that hard because I don’t like feeling like I’m behind, but I was like everyone’s still working, I’m not working, like that was for me… and then l was annoyed I’m not working.”
Ellie then said: “Your life stopped…”
“Because of something else, something I didn’t do like… and that’s what’s so frustrating, that just shouldn’t of… it shouldn’t of never have happened, but it did and I’m not letting that control my life, because then that person wins and as much as it still affects me, at a restaurant I need to sit where I can see everything…,” Charleen added.
Charleen admitted that “even little things trigger me” and mentioned how she refrains from watching violent films.
When asked by Ellie if she will “always carry stuff like that with you for your life, or do you think as the years go on will you like…”
Charleen got emotional and revealed: “I think so…”
Ellie then admitted how “proud” she was of her friend: “You’ve had to overcome things that you weren’t meant to, you’re not supposed to… no woman should, do you know what I mean?”
