He Strangled Me Twice. The System Let Him Walk. Paris Explains Why Paris's Law Is Needed | Part 1

Paris met Robert Lee Hastings in August 2022. Within months he had moved into her home, isolated her from her job, controlled her finances, strangled her twice, and subjected her to sustained coercive and controlling behaviour throughout her pregnancy. She had an emergency C-section after he pushed her against a banister at 38 weeks pregnant. She made a life-changing medical decision to protect herself from ever being made pregnant by him again. On her eldest son's 10th birthday, he strangled her until darkness crept into the edges of her vision and she accepted she was going to die.

He entered a late guilty plea — and the coercive control charge was dropped.

In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Laura sits down with Paris — founder of Paris's Law — to hear her story from the beginning and understand what drove her to launch a campaign calling for an end to late guilty pleas from coercive controllers.

In this interview Laura and Paris cover:

- How Paris's childhood trauma was identified and weaponised by her abuser from the very first weeks of the relationship

- The classic grooming tactics used — love bombing, love withdrawal, gaslighting, and manufactured vulnerability

- How coercive control is so deeply embedded that Paris didn't recognise it as a charge when she saw it on the court papers

- The two strangulation events — and why strangulation is a critical risk indicator that must be taken seriously

- Why once a perpetrator puts their hands around a victim's throat, the escalating pattern of behaviour only ever increases — it never reduces

- How Paris's entire pregnancy was dominated by fear, violence and a pattern of controlling behaviour — including being pushed against a banister at 38 weeks

- What happened on her son's 10th birthday — and the moment she accepted she was going to die

- What Paris's Law is calling for — and the One Voice, One Movement event on August 17th outside Southampton Crown Court

If you or someone you know is experiencing coercive control or domestic abuse, please reach out to a trained advocate. Strangulation is a medical emergency — please seek help.

🗓️ One Voice, One Movement — August 17th, 10:45am, Southampton Crown Court

Speeches, community and a picnic. All are welcome.

➡️ Part 2 coming soon — hear how the police became involved and what happened at court.

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