“19 years old, I’d found a part-time job waiting tables at a local Olive Garden for the summer. One blistering hot day in July, I dropped a coworker off at work, looking forward to her shift ending so we could go out dancing. I had no idea my life was about to be turned upside down.”
‘As I rinsed my car, a man from behind placed a knife at my throat. Hand over my mouth, he dragged me to the floor of his car, forcing handcuffs around my wrists.’: Kidnapping, sexual assault survivor urges ‘there is abundant life after trauma’
What To Say To A Sexual Assault Survivor
“It’s THIS easy to be supportive.”
‘You should have avoided the situation. Others have it MUCH worse.’: Sexual assault survivor says ‘trauma is not a competition’
“I told myself, ‘You should have been smarter.’ But it’s not up to you. It is NEVER your fault.”
Let’s Make It Clear, Having Too Many Drinks DOESN’T Lead To Sexual Assault
“We’re NOT the cause of what happened to us.”
10 Healing Methods for Sexual Violence Survivors
“It’s only when we face the parts that feel dirty, guilty, broken, hard, and painful that we find closure.”
‘The case was OVERTURNED because the victim’s jeans were ‘too tight.’: Woman shares ‘solidarity’ regarding sexual assault, ‘We’re in this together’
“If someone says no, it’s a SOLID no.”
‘My mug shot was on the news. ‘I’ve been using drugs and I’m in trouble. I don’t want to live.’ The nurse said, ‘You’re in the right place.’: Woman overcomes addiction, ‘I help people like me’
“I contemplated if I was in love with the pills and white powder he seemed to always have or if I loved him. Any loyalty I had eventually shifted to the drugs.”
‘If you send me home, I will die.’ The doctor looked me in the eyes. ‘We’re all going to die.’: Mental illness, chronic pain warrior finds peace through therapy, ‘I accept myself as I am’
“I’ve been in a car wreck I shouldn’t have walked away from. I’ve attempted suicide 3 times. I’ve come close to death often. ‘Why do I exist?’ Now I knew exactly why I’m here.”
‘I explained my past. ‘The man took photographs. He was 57 years old.’ I hated myself and turned to drugs.’: Woman with BPD gets sober, changes life, ‘I love how far I’ve come’
“I struggled to talk to the therapist. I explained what I went through when I was 12. I encountered a child predator. Having my son pushed me to find the answers as to what happened.”
‘I felt my elbows tingle and collapsed. Even my organs were paralyzed. I had to push the call button with my neck.’: Stroke survivor creates inclusive dance company
“I collapsed and found myself unable to move my arms and legs. The nurse had to carry me to the bathroom. I was in shock. It felt like a door had been slammed in my face.”
