It was mid August of 2015. I grew up in a small town feeling very comfortable with everyone. I knew about Sexual Assault and how to prevent it because my older sister had been raped at a college party when I was 14. But I never thought it would happen to me. I was a very happy 17 year old. Summer was almost over. One day I went down to the lake with my cousins Will, and Melanie and our friend Ty, Hannah, and Ian. I really liked Ian but I didn’t really know him. We spent the whole day swimming and eating. It got dusk and we started a fire. Ian and I went off into the woods and started kissing. That’s all I thought it was, I was a virgin and innocent. He put his hands down my shorts but I wasn’t uncomfortable… Until he started to unbutton his pants. I said “hey hey, let’s take it slow. I’m not ready” he said “don’t be a tease” and placed his hands over my mouth. I tried to shove him off me but he was too strong. He raped me. When he was done he said it was our little secret. I kept it for two months. Until I couldn’t keep it in anymore I told my sister. It was a hard processes but I’m recovering. I still regret not telling the moment it happened. Thanks for letting me share my story.
— Lauren Johnson, age 18
Lauren,
I’m really glad you shared your story. It will mean a lot to other people with similar experiences. It can be really difficult to speak out. Many rape survivors wait years before speaking up, so the fact that you told your sister after two months is incredibly inspiring. You’re right, it is a hard process, but I can tell from your writing that you’ve got this. You are very brave. With love, Alissa