“As a student leader in an organization, you would think that I am strong and confident, not afraid to speak up. And in most situations, you’re right. But how come I couldn't speak up when it came to sexual violence?
Recently, I experienced sexual abuse. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time. The situation felt all too familiar and he didn't even feel bad. I gave him an opportunity to stay friends after he made the same mistake a year ago, but here we were again. He said it was a joke and didn’t take me seriously; I think that speaks to how ignorant, perverted, and disgusting he is. Something else he doesn't know? I was sexually abused in high school, and it was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. Those two men continued on with their lives as if nothing had happened. I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
All of these traumatic experiences stemmed from people I met in the APA community. That's not to say that all men in the APA community are bad people; it could shed light on how taboo the topic is in our community, but it occurs nonetheless. I believe that all acts of sexual violence should be discussed because all of them are significant. We need to start speaking on the issue more, and stand up for ourselves, our friends, and even strangers. We need to be able to call out people for their mistakes, so that we can help one another. Even though I wasn't brave enough to share my face with the entire internet and link this story with it, I've decided that I'm going to share my story with my friends. This is my way of coping with the situation.
I know that one of the perpetrators will see this story, and I hope this helps him realize that what he did was not okay. I want him to learn and become a better person. I also wrote this story so that other people who have had similar experiences know that they are not alone. It sounds super cliché, but sometimes it's all someone needs to hear.
I hate that this is my first story on Minority Models, but I'll be back with another one. For now, I'd like everyone who read this to know that any act of sexual violence is not okay, and I plead all of you to be brave enough to speak up."
Recently, I experienced sexual abuse. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time. The situation felt all too familiar and he didn't even feel bad. I gave him an opportunity to stay friends after he made the same mistake a year ago, but here we were again. He said it was a joke and didn’t take me seriously; I think that speaks to how ignorant, perverted, and disgusting he is. Something else he doesn't know? I was sexually abused in high school, and it was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. Those two men continued on with their lives as if nothing had happened. I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
All of these traumatic experiences stemmed from people I met in the APA community. That's not to say that all men in the APA community are bad people; it could shed light on how taboo the topic is in our community, but it occurs nonetheless. I believe that all acts of sexual violence should be discussed because all of them are significant. We need to start speaking on the issue more, and stand up for ourselves, our friends, and even strangers. We need to be able to call out people for their mistakes, so that we can help one another. Even though I wasn't brave enough to share my face with the entire internet and link this story with it, I've decided that I'm going to share my story with my friends. This is my way of coping with the situation.
I know that one of the perpetrators will see this story, and I hope this helps him realize that what he did was not okay. I want him to learn and become a better person. I also wrote this story so that other people who have had similar experiences know that they are not alone. It sounds super cliché, but sometimes it's all someone needs to hear.
I hate that this is my first story on Minority Models, but I'll be back with another one. For now, I'd like everyone who read this to know that any act of sexual violence is not okay, and I plead all of you to be brave enough to speak up."
