3rd Grade Terror

Since my father was in the military I was a military brat. I lived in Japan at the time and was only in the 3rd grade. I was in the middle of gym class when I was signed out by a strange man saying he was my father’s friend and was picking me up for him. Of course, due to the fact that our school was lower in security than the U.S we believed him. I remember him grabbing me roughly and bringing me behind the building. He then ordered me to remove my clothes, and because of my age (8) I did so. He touched and fingered me and I remember crying and feeling so confused and dirty and it just felt downright wrong. He slapped me and told if I ever told anyone he would kill my family and take me away. Of course I believed him and ran home that night crying. When my mom asked what happened I just told her I got lost. I never told but another woman was assaulted by him about a month later and he was on the newspaper. When I saw him I began to cry and told my mother the story about him and the school incident. He was sent to jail shortly afterwards and we never saw him again. I’m so glad I survived something most woman may not have.

— Amira, age 12