YOLANDE Jenkins was subjected to a horrific knife-point attack and to now gather the courage to talk about it is remarkable.

As a victim of a sexual assault Yolande is given life-long anonymity to protect her, and her identity.

Yet she decided to waive this right in a bid to give other victims the confidence to come forward.

Yolande, and the police, believe serial sex attacker and rapist Christopher Clark may have preyed on other young women across Essex, and beyond.

And it is hoped Yolande’s brave decision will help make a difference.

Clark was dubbed the Early Bird Rapist by the press in the 1980s, as he would track and attack women in the mornings, often after waiting for their husbands to leave the house.

He targeted Yolande when she was 18 and was unsuspectingly walking to work along Clockhouse Lane in North Stifford, on September 17, 1985.

Yolande has spoken movingly in this week’s Gazette about how the harrowing experience has left her with her own life sentence.

One of the things her story highlights is how the police’s approach has changed and developed over the years.

And with advancements in DNA techniques they were able to prove Clark was responsible for this heinous crime.

Yolande initially felt her case wasn’t taken seriously enough. Now, 33 years on, she has justice.

And she now hopes by coming forward it will help others to summon the bravery to do the same.