I was raped by my best friend. I’d known him all my life and we trusted each other. I was only 14 and he had recently turned 15. I was at his house to hang out and his parents had gone out to run errands for the day. We were playing video games and eating pizza and drinking soda, just a normal day. I went to go to the bathroom and when I got back his bottom half was naked. I was stunned for a moment and he was able to throw me onto his bed. He pulled my clothes off and raped me. He was aggressive and angry. I’d never seen him quite like that before. I tried to get away a few times but he proceeded to slap me every time he caught me. I screamed for my life but nobody could hear besides him. I tried to get away again and when he caught me he started dragging me around by my hair. He brought me to the front door and literally threw me outside completely naked. I scraped against the sidewalk of the neighborhood. Tons of people saw me try ing to navigate my way home in the nude. I’m bullied about it to this day and I never talk to him anymore. I can’t trust anybody.
— Survivor, age 16
Dear survivor,
It makes perfect sense that you feel like you can’t trust anyone. You lost your best friend and your trust in the world and people continue to be cruel to you. You are beautiful inside and out and you are very brave. Anyone who doesn’t see that is so very sadly mistaken. I see it and all I know of you is a few sentences. I hope in time you come to find that there are good people in the world. People who love you. People who see beauty. People who are the opposite of him. People like you. I’m sending you so much love. Thank you for speaking up and sharing your story here. Light and love, Alissa – Brave Miss World Team Member