Why?
If you have been a victim of a sexual assault, it is important to know several things:
- Rape is not about sex, it is about power, control and sometimes rage.
- You are not to blame.
- It is not your fault.
- You could not have prevented this.
- You did not deserve this.
The fact that you are reading this now, means that you did what was necessary to survive. Do not second-guess yourself that you should have screamed, run, or fought back. You did what was necessary and you are alive.
If you were a child when you were abused, what could you have done against a larger, stronger adult? You may have been threatened, urged to keep a secret or afraid that you wouldn’t have been believed if you told.
If your body responded during the assault, you may be carrying feelings of guilt. You may have been told that if you reacted, you must have enjoyed it. Our bodies are made up of physical, emotional, and mental components wrapped around our spiritual core. We were made for procreation and pleasure within the sanctity of marriage and because we were designed for this, our physical bodies are reacting to physical touch. It is not validation that we asked for this, desired it or enjoyed it. Do not let yourself be fooled and do not let others cloud the truth.
If you are like many of us, you are your own worst enemy. The hurt…the pain…the questions…may seem unrelenting. And at times, all of that can get turned inward. It may be hard for you to believe right now, but you can get past this. It may not seem like it is possible, you may feel like giving up but there can be healing. I’ve been where you are at, and I know how it feels. I can assure you of this, you are more than what happened to you.
