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Pain

How I found healing after sexual violence

By SabrinaPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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Pain
Photo by Jake Melara on Unsplash

It all started when I was the young age of five years old. A fellow kindergartener touched me. He touched me down there, multiple times. I never spoke up because I was so young I had no idea what was happening. He did it to my peers as well. Someone spoke up and his parents got brought in. They defended his behaviour. He was promptly removed from the school. That was my first experience with sexual assault. As I got older it was touches here and then by men at bars. I was disgusted but I would freeze unsure what to do. It’s such a normalized thing for women, it happens and we brush it off. That’s what it was like for me until I was 21. I was at a bar, I met a man who introduced himself and as we got to talking we realized we knew each other. He was a good friends half brother. I ended up getting so drunk that night I blacked out which is out of character for me. I remember bits and pieces of the night. That night I lost my virginity while someone watched. Without my consent. I was naive and didn’t call it what it was. Rape. I tried to have relationship with this person to normalize the situation. It didn’t turn out well. When I put the pieces together I was shocked and disappointed in myself. I felt guilty. Like this was somehow my fault. I decided to come forward and tell my friends what had happened. My good friend lost her mind and defended her brother. We are no longer friends because her brother could never do such a thing. My best friend heard me out but defended him like rape had categories. It felt like a hot knife was twisting me in the gut. We decided it was best to go our separate ways as she chose him over me. “Well he’ll be at my wedding so..”. I’m an example of why women don’t come forward. When we are not believed by our closest friends, why do we expect anyone else to take us seriously?. We as women need to take control of our narrative. Be strong. Come forward no matter what the loss and speak your truth. In the end it’s what’s best for you and your mental health. Healing can only start once you open up about these types of situations. Keep the people who love and support close to you like sunshine. There is a light at the end of the tunnel if you are going through a sexual violence situation. I’m healing slowly and steadily. Losing touch with people who took the side of my perpetrator was a huge step for me. It hurt but I feel lighter knowing that I do have people who love and support me. It may hurt now but it does get better I promise. Being able to overcome sexual violence only makes us stronger. We are not to blame. Their are resources out there for victims of sexual violence. From free counseling that specializes in women who have go through acts of sexual violence to mental health services. I am lucky enough to have a wonderful psychiatrist that I am able to lean on. No matter where you are in the world resources are available to you even if it’s just online help and support are always out there. Right now I’m in a thriving relationship with a man who knows what I’ve been through and loves me anyways scars and all. I have a solid support team around me that have my back no matter what. I’m lucky that way. If your struggling it will and does get better trust me. I’m a proven case of that. I lost the people I was closest too and I’m thriving. We aren’t victims we’re survivors. We support and hold each other up. Keep your head up sunshine.

Taboo
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Sabrina

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