Amy Winehouse - Reg Traviss Felt Vulnerable After Rape Accusation

Amy Winehouse's last lover Reg Traviss felt "very vulnerable" after he was falsely accused of rape and struggled to carry on with life as normal.

The filmmaker was taken to court over claims he assaulted a 27-year-old female friend while she was drunk and sleeping at his apartment in London on New Year's Eve (31Dec11), but a jury cleared him of any wrongdoing on Thursday (13Dec12).

Traviss, who was dating Winehouse when she died from alcohol poisoning last year (Jul11), addressed his ordeal during an appearance on British morning show Daybreak on Monday (17Dec12), and admitted the case had a profound effect on him.

The star says, "It's been immensely difficult. It was roughly nine months from when... the allegations were made, when I was accused, until the end of the trial so it's been very very difficult. I feel very vulnerable to say the least.

"It's very very difficult to get on with your life - in this instance, obviously I was bailed... but during that time obviously I have to work, get on with my life, exist and interact in every way that we do... and of course walk the streets, as you do.

"That psychologically does definitely have an effect, you feel very victimised. I certainly felt extremely victimised but at the same time I also needed to carry on, so you're kind of dealing with a lot of emotions."

Traviss is now calling for anonymity for rape case defendants, and adds, "I think there should be every effort to encourage real victims to come forward and they should get every piece of support. I just think the stakes are so high that if you are innocent you are also a victim. I certainly feel like the victim in all of this."