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When Lauren*, 42, matched with a man online, he wasn’t the person he claimed to be.
Here, she tells the story in her own words…
I felt a flutter of excitement as my phone buzzed.
I’d recently joined the dating app Tinder and had a new match.
Glancing over his profile,
I saw his name was Dylan and he was a lawyer who enjoyed reading.
A single mum to a little boy, I was ready to meet someone, and Dylan sounded lovely.
I’m so happy that I matched with you, you’re so good looking, he messaged.
It was a nice compliment, but I knew I had to be wary, so I fired him some questions.
As we chatted over the next few days, Dylan seemed genuine.
And when we met, he looked professional and smart in a suit.
The next time we met though, I realised I didn’t see Dylan in a romantic way.
But when I tried to cool it off, he kept messaging.
I feel suicidal, he wrote.
Consumed with guilt, I continued to meet him as a friend.
One Saturday, I met him in a pub with his mates and Dylan got horribly drunk.
I decided to go to the bathroom before making a swift exit.
But as I walked into the cubicle, I realised Dylan was following me inside.
‘Let’s have sex,’ he slurred.
‘No, leave me alone,’ I protested.
Suddenly, he pinned me against the wall and tried to pull off my clothes.
He had his hand wrapped around my throat and was groping my body.
I frantically tried to push him away, but he was too strong, so I started screaming.
Then, forcing his hand down my jeans, he painfully tore off my undies, before putting them in his pocket.
‘Leave me alone!’ I screamed, which sent him running off.
My heart dropped when I realised my bag was still with his mates. Storming over, I picked it up.
‘Please don’t go,’ Dylan said.
‘I never want to see you again!’ I shouted.
The next thing I knew, Dylan pulled my undies out of his pocket and waved them in his friend’s face.
I was absolutely mortified.
‘You’re a psycho,’ I snapped.
But the next day, Dylan was on my doorstep.
‘I’m sorry – I need help,’ he admitted.
‘I can’t help you,’ I spat, before slamming the door.
Dylan continued to text and call, but I ignored him.
At one point, he even turned up at my work.
But I refused to see him and eventually he gave up.
Around six months later, I got a call from the police summoning me to the station.
When I got there, I was told that a man called Glenn Hartland was accusing me of threatening him.
What the?… I thought.
I didn’t even know a Glenn.
But when I got more information, the penny dropped.
It was Dylan who had gone to the police – his real name was Glenn!
I hired a lawyer who helped me contest Glenn’s claims.
At court, Glenn didn’t even turn up and was given a restraining order called an intervention order, or IVO.
It was such a relief.
Then four months afterwards, I received a Facebook message from a woman called Chloe*.
You don’t know me, but I’ve been dating Dylan for the last six months and I’ve just broken up with him, she wrote. He talks about you all the time, so I wanted to warn you.
As we continued to message, she told me Dylan had raped her and verbally abused her.
I felt sick.
There’s more of us, Chloe added.
He’d lied to all of us, making up different jobs and stories to suit whoever he was talking to.
Together, Chloe and I went to the police.
Officers worked out that four of us had IVOs against him.
When the other three women had ended their relationships with Glenn, he’d raped them in their homes.
In June 2016, the four of us made our statements.
He was arrested and charged with three counts of rape against the other women, and one count of sexual assault against me.
In October 2018, Glenn Hartland, 44, appeared at Melbourne County Court and pleaded guilty.
Despite his plea, he was released on bail. It was disgusting that he could still walk the streets.
Ahead of the sentencing, we received more bad news – Hartland made a bid to change his plea.
It meant we’d have to go to trial and give evidence.
Fortunately, he soon backtracked, sticking with the guilty plea.
Sadly, one of the women died by suicide before the trial began.
I was devastated for her.
Finally, on May 10 this year, Glenn Antony Hartland was sentenced to 14 years and nine months in prison, with a non-parole period of 11 years.
County court judge Paul Highman said that Hartland’s actions had ‘reduced strong, confident and empowered women to fearful and uncertain shells of their former selves’.
It was incredible to get justice. Unfortunately, whether it’s on the street or online, there are still men committing violent and hateful acts on women.
But I want abuse survivors to know they’re not alone.
And if you haven’t reported a crime, I urge you to go to the police.
We have voices and they deserve to be heard.
If you’ve been affected by anything in this story and need help, visit:
1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732
Lifeline – 13 11 14
Living Well – 07 3028 4648
Samaritans – 135 247
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