Repulse Bay (Mar 13/06) - Olassie Machmer shuffles into the room, a stab of pain shooting up her leg every time she takes a step.

Olassie Machmer's foot still doesn't work properly. It was frozen when the 54-year-old woman walked 2.2 km barefoot in the snow to escape an assault. The Nunavut Council on the Status of Women has called the six-month conditional sentence the attacker received "a slap in the face." Kent Driscoll/NNSL photo The Escape I woke up when he bit me, and calling me names of his ex-wives' names. I told him I'm not them, I'm Olassie. And he didn't stop. Biting me everywhere he could bite me, even on my head where the hairs are. Chunks of hair would come off." "He banged my head, banging on the wooden chair. Then I pretend to be dead. And, then he found out that I am alive, got worse. There is no way of stopping him. He kept saying he's going to kill me with his own hands. Then he kept calling me one of his ex-wives' name. Then I feel something broken on my right side of my rib. Then he stopped." "He got up and I try to feel something, an object to put on my feet, boots or something. Then I couldn't wait to get away from that house, so I start running to town, and at the same time I wonder if I could make it to the other side. Then went out, start running, 2.2 km away from Repulse Bay on January 4th at night." "Here I am, no socks and no top, running in 30 below. So dark outside, except town. When I put my feet on the snow, it was 'ouch.' I was thinking about going back to the cabin, but thinking at the same time he is going to kill me. I thought of my children and my grandchildren in Pang. Oh, I don't want my children to hear that a woman has been found, dead and frozen." "I remember I grabbed a doorknob and then I don't remember. Next thing I remember was somebody yelling 'What happened to you?' I woke up in a strange place on the mattress in the living room, wanting to go to the washroom, and the washroom was so far from the living room. I was so sore all over and I couldn't walk and my knee was swollen and everywhere. I stayed there for two days. On the third day, homecare took my urine, find blood in it. So they sent me to Winnipeg." "I know there is greater darkness than these tragedies, the darkness in the eyes of one who has not felt God's love and grace and the assurance of hope. God Bless, Olassie K Machmer - excerpt from a five-page hand-written account by Olassie Machmer, describing her escape from an assault near Repulse Bay

Her toes don't work properly any more.

In Repulse Bay, on Jan. 4, Machmer, who will turn 55 on March 23, escaped barefoot on snow and ice from an attacker, her common-law husband.

Now, sitting in the Nunavut News/North office in Iqaluit, awaiting a flight to Winnipeg for treatment, Machmer wants to know why her attacker isn't behind bars, but serving a six-month conditional sentence and 18-months probation at home.

On Feb. 20, Simonie Natseck pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon or causing bodily harm and breach of an undertaking.

The maximum sentence for assault causing bodily harm is 10 years. The maximum for the same assault under summary conviction is 18 months. A breach of an undertaking means that the attacker has already been convicted of criminal acts in the past.

In 1994, Natseck was sentenced to two years in jail for assault and five years, served simultaneously, for sexual assault.

In 1992, he was fined $1,000 and received a four-month sentence - served in the community - for assault.

In 1989, he had his first recorded run in with the law. He received an $800 fine and a three-month sentence - served in the community - for assault.

Armed with a five-page handwritten account of her ordeal, Machmer, now living in Pangnirtung, has a new feeling: outrage.

She also has the Nunavut Council for the Status of Women behind her.

"We felt that this sentence was a slap in the face," said the council's acting president Annie Natayok after receiving a copy of the account, which Nunavut News/North forwarded with Machmer's consent.

The group was gathered in Rankin Inlet for a conference on International Womens Day, March 8.

Machmer's statement, which she titled "Footprints on the Ice," topped the agenda.

Machmer feels the Nunavut Court of Justice let her down. After she heard the sentence, Machmer decided to go public with her story.

"My feet were frozen and the tips of my fingers. I still can't open a Pepsi can," said Machmer.

"I feel that is not enough punishment for what almost killed me. I get lots of bad dreams.

"He didn't get anything, only six months probation and 70 hours of community work, and he's been to the penitentiary over five years (10 years ago). He had two wives before me and did the same thing."

She says the prosecutor and the lawyer made a deal.

"I can't appeal because of those two lawyers," said Machmer.

The Nunavut Council for the Status of Women hopes Machmer's story can produce changes.

"We are going to make this issue heard, especially through the Justice department," said Natayok through interpreter Thomas Tiktaq.

"The RCMP and social services are just waiting for this man to murder someone. We want them to do something about this. The Justice department seems to be waiting for someone to kill," said Natayok.

Most victims of domestic abuse keep the incidents to themselves. By going public, Machmer has helped the council, Natayok said.

"This is the first time we have received a letter like this. We have been lobbying, but this is the first complaint (about sentencing) that we have received from the abused," said Natayok.

The Crown prosecutors say they are sympathetic to Machmer's complaints, but did all they could.

"The defence and Crown met, and this is what you would call a plea bargain," said Bonnie Tulloch, the regional director of prosecution for Nunavut.

"We would have liked to send this guy away for a long time. If it went to trial, it would be likely that he would be found not guilty," said Tulloch.

"In the prosecutor's mind, with all the problems we had with the file, this was the best result."

Since Machmer filed a complaint with her MLA, the Crown has met with the department of Justice to discuss the reasoning for a deal.

Natseck will be watched closely, said Tulloch.

"If he breaches any of his conditions, we will have another kick at the can," said Tulloch.