UK Survivor of Canadian Poison Seller Testifies in Court
A British woman, one of the survivors of Canadian poison seller Kenneth Law, faced him in court on Wednesday to describe how he had exploited her despair.
Elisabeth Belien, who until Wednesday had not been known as one of his customers, shared her experience:
"I had struggled with my mental health for a long time before this. Kenneth Law made it easier to act on that despair... I feel guilty for surviving."
Belien, now recovered physically but still struggling emotionally, revealed she suffered from survivor's guilt after learning others had died due to Law's actions. She stated:
"I continue to struggle with intrusive thoughts and flashbacks of that day... I felt like my vulnerability was exploited... I still feel a lot of shame about what happened."
Law, a former chef, admitted 14 counts of aiding suicides in Canada after meeting people in online suicide forums. He has not faced charges in the UK for nearly 80 deaths linked to him due to a plea deal with Canadian authorities.
During the sentencing hearing this week, impact statements from families affected by Law's actions are being read, including that of David Parfett, whose son Tom passed away in October 2021. Parfett shared his struggle with mental health since Tom's death, initially unable to mourn properly due to his focus on exposing the harm caused by online platforms that enabled Law's activities.