The victim of convicted rapist Tom Silvagni has broken her silence, revealing the “exhausting” impact the case has had on every part of her life.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she wanted to share her story to remind other survivors that the emotional chaos that follows sexual violence — the highs, lows and everything in between — is completely normal.

Silvagni, 23, was jailed in the Victorian County Court in December, receiving a six‑year, two‑month sentence and a non‑parole period of three years and three months after a jury found him guilty of two counts of rape.

The attack took place on January 14, 2024, inside a bedroom of the Silvagni family’s luxury mansion which is the home of AFL great Stephen Silvagni and television presenter Jo Silvagni.

While appealing his rape conviction, Silvagni is currently being held in the notoriously tough Melbourne Assessment Prison as he waits for the next stage of the legal process.

The victim said she had stayed silent after the sentencing because of legal constraints, but felt compelled to speak this week after noticing many of her new followers were also survivors of sexual assault.

“I want to talk about what I’m going through,” she said. “Hopefully, it’s something you’ll recognise in your own journey.”

She said she has been “crashing out” emotionally as she tries to gather the strength to begin rebuilding her life and while her social media might make it look like she’s “out having fun,” it doesn’t show the moments when she struggles.

The victim described the verdict and the sentencing as a “whirlwind” that felt surreal. She said people expect her to “move on” now that justice has been served, but that it hadn’t been that simple.

She admitted her mind “still can’t process” that Silvagni was found guilty and jailed, and that it will take time to fully absorb the outcome. Even months later, she feels “mentally drained and exhausted.”

She has only recently returned to work in a casual role and said even that feels “ten times more energy‑draining.”

Although the victim +hasn’t spoken publicly until now because the case is still technically ongoing, she said she wanted to share moments like this to reassure others in the same position that what they’re feeling is normal after sexual assault.

“I’m sorry if you are unfortunately one day in this position, but I hope, if you are, then this might bring you some comfort,” she said.

Mr Silvagni was found guilty after a jury heard his victim arrived at a Balwyn North home just after midnight, invited there by his model girlfriend Alannah Laconis.

Earlier drinking had wrapped up, leaving only Mr Silvagni, Ms Laconis and Silvagni’s former best mate Anthony LoGuidice — with whom the victim was in a casual sexual relationship — still at the house by 12.23am.

The court heard the woman then had consensual sex with Mr LoGuidice in an upstairs bedroom.

Mr LoGuidice left in an Uber at 1.58am, arriving home at 2.09am.

Mr Silvagni then lied to the woman, telling her Mr LoGuidice’s Uber had been cancelled and that he’d soon be back upstairs. Instead, he walked into the dark bedroom himself, climbed into the bed and impersonated LoGuidice, before digitally raping her twice.

During sentencing in December, Silvagni stared on in prison greens as Judge Greg Lyon described the “vileness” of the attacks, saying he had used “cunning, planning and strategy” once the “opportunity” to rape the woman arose.

“You committed the second rape over her protests,” Judge Lyon said, adding Silvagni had even tried to pressure his lifelong friend Mr LoGuidice into taking the blame.

Judge Lyon also praised widespread media reporting of Silvagni’s case as “objective” and “accurate” before jailing Mr Silvagni for a maximum six years and two months with a non-parole period of three years and three months.

Originally published on PerthNow