The Night My Life Changed

I felt so lost and alone. It was so scary. My “friends” we’re having a party in one of the dorms so I thought I would go to hang out. It was cool in the beginning no pressure. Just drinking and eating and having a good time. Until things turned for the worse. I was dancing with my girlfriends and this guy comes to dance with us which was ok until he came behind me and wouldn’t let me go. I told him to get off of me but he wouldn’t. My “friends” thought we were playing so they ignored us. He whispers in my ear to go to the bedroom or he would make it even worse for me. I fought him trying to drag me into the bedroom and ended up banging my head on the wall and being punched in my ribs. I felt so helpless. We get into the room and she pushes me on the ground at this point I’m crying hysterically and screaming but no one is coming to help. He got on top of me. I yelled because it hurts sooo bad but he doesn’t care. He puts his hand over my mouth and I can’t breathe. And he begins to take off my pants and underwear and penetrates me which seemed like forever. And that’s all I remember. I guess I passed out cause I woke up with blood all over me. All my friends were gone and I was all alone. I went back to my room and didn’t leave for three days. My RA came to check on me and saw what was going on and took me to the hospital to get a rape kit done. A week later the campus police contacted me and told me nothing would be done because I was drunk. I tried to kill myself but it failed so I started cutting bad and that’s how I coped with it. A month later I found out I was pregnant. And I was forced to tell my parents and I had an abortion. Since it happened I’ve been in and out of therapy and trying to pick up the pieces of my life. Everyday is still a struggle but I have hope that it might get better.

— Kiana Simpson, age 22