Zoe Watts described her 14-year marriage to Ben as seemingly idyllic, complete with romantic gestures and a shared family life. However, she later discovered that for at least nine of those years, her husband had been systematically drugging her with sleeping medication, which he administered in her nightly cup of tea, and then sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious. He also documented these assaults through photos and videos.

Ben Watts, a churchgoing man and pillar of his community, cultivated an image of a devoted husband and father to their four children. Zoe recalls his outward displays of affection, such as serenading her in church and booking pampering appointments, which she perceived as genuine care. He presented himself as a "functioning, funny, kind, loving person," but Zoe now recognizes this as a facade for a "monster."

A Deceptive Marriage

The couple met in 2000 when Zoe was 17. Ben, 11 years her senior, was charming and charismatic, sweeping her off her feet in what she now identifies as "love bombing." They married in 2004, and Zoe gave birth to their first child shortly before. Over the next several years, they had three more children. While maintaining an active sex life, Zoe noted that Ben could also be aggressive and prone to unexplained absences, leading him to be referred to mental health professionals, though no formal diagnosis was made. His behavior was often attributed to stress by his general practitioner.

Around 2009, Zoe began experiencing severe migraines and brain fog, symptoms Ben attributed to stress. Unbeknownst to her, Ben had been administering sleeping medication, originally prescribed for their son who suffered from insomnia, to Zoe. She later realized these sedatives, combined with her migraine medication, could have been incredibly dangerous. The recurring urinary tract and yeast infections she suffered were also unexplained, and doctors' investigations were inconclusive. Zoe even feared she had a brain tumor, undergoing an MRI scan.

Despite her worsening health and Ben's increasingly aggressive behavior, Zoe hesitated to leave him, partly due to his apparent struggles with mental health and his continued romantic gestures. She also struggled to process his confession in 2018. During a Valentine's Day service, Ben admitted to having an affair with Zoe's friend and stated he had been "sedating you to have sex with you." Zoe found it easier to focus on the betrayal of the affair, initially unable to confront the reality of the drugging and sexual assault.

Confession and Reckoning

Following Ben's confession, Zoe experienced a nervous breakdown characterized by weight loss, anxiety, and panic attacks. She confided in her sister a few months later, finally articulating the full extent of Ben's abuse. Her sister encouraged her to contact the police. Officers arrived the same day and informed Zoe that sexual activity while sedated negates consent. Ben was arrested later that night after returning to the family home wielding a Stanley knife and confronting Zoe, taunting her with questions about rape.

While Ben was released on police bail, he allegedly spread rumors that Zoe had made false accusations. The case took four years to reach court, with the Crown Prosecution Service initially deciding not to prosecute due to a lack of evidence. Zoe appealed, and the case proceeded to Exeter Crown Court in April 2022.

During the trial, Zoe learned that Ben had sometimes used restraints during the assaults. Ben controversially referred to the photographic and video evidence as "arty" footage and falsely claimed Zoe had a fantasy of being drugged. The jury found him guilty of rape, assault by penetration, and administering a substance with intent to overpower. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Seeking Awareness

Zoe has since waived her anonymity to raise awareness about drug-facilitated sexual assault. She believes cases like Gisele Péllicot's, who was drugged and raped by her husband and others, brought greater public attention to such crimes. Watts has launched a campaign called #EndEyeCheck, aimed at highlighting the realities of drug-facilitated sexual assault and the distribution of abuse material online. She emphasizes that it is not the number of perpetrators or assaults that defines the severity of the crime, but the violation itself.

Watts notes that even a GP had been informed of Ben's actions by Ben himself but did not flag it as an offense, indicating the long road ahead in recognizing and addressing such crimes. She has been contacted by numerous women reporting similar experiences, underscoring the widespread nature of these hidden abuses.