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I was...
Home
at Someone Else’s Home
at Work
in School / University
in a Bar / Restaurant
in the Military
at a Social Event
Traveling
in a Service Setting
in a Religious Setting
in a Public Space
Online or in a Digital Space
Other
The person who harmed me was a...
Stranger
Acquaintance
Non-Romantic Friend
Casual / First Date
Spouse
Romantic Partner
Ex-Partner
Family Member
Authority Figure
Colleague
Minor
I identify as...
Asian
Arab / Middle Eastern / North African
Black / African / Caribbean
Hispanic / Latino / Spanish
American Indian / Alaska Native
Two or More Races
Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander
White
My sexual orientation is...
LGBTQ+
Straight / Heterosexual
Lesbian / Gay
Bisexual
Pansexual
Queer
Asexual
I identify as...
a Man
a Woman
Transgender
Non-binary
Gender-fluid
Genderqueer
I identify as...
a Person with a physical disability
a Person who is neurodivergent
a Person with an intellectual or developmental disability
an Immigrant
I was...
a Child
a Teenager
a Young Adult
an Adult
a Senior / Elderly Person
When this occurred I also experienced...
Physical harm
Emotional abuse
Financial abuse
Human trafficking
Stalking
Verbal abuse
On this page are stories shared by survivors that highlight hope but can also be hard to read. A grounding activity can help you to feel calm and make it easier to read these stories. Do you want to try one of our grounding activities?
You are valid and you are so very strong. There’s a reason why you’re called a survivor - you survived some very traumatic experiences. Be patient and kind to yourself during your healing journey<3 I’m rooting for you!!
If you are reading this please know you are not alone. When I was 15 years old and had just gotten back from eating disorder treatment, I was lonely, lost, and vulnerable. I had zero sexual experience, in fact I had never had my first kiss yet. One night I went to a small party, and drank a lot without knowing my limits because I had never drank before. Long story short, I blacked out and only remember bits and pieces of the night. Unfortunately I have a few memories that I can never forget. A completely sober boy came to the party and ended u...
The summer before fifth grade, me and my brothers decided to have a sleepover in the living room. I always had the hardest time falling asleep, so I was the last one up. Or at least I thought I was. My oldest brother, who is 15 months older, came and sat by my feet. He somehow brought up his genitals, I honestly don’t remember the conversation, I just remember being uncomfortable. Then, he pulled down his pants and started touching himself. He then started touching my genitals too. I didn’t know what to do. So I just sat there. I still don’t k...
Healing to me means understanding that after a major trauma, there is no going back to the old normal. This is the hard truth. Trauma creates a major life disruption. Full stop.
But the real healing is learning to find a new normal, not papering over, or trying to pretend you are the old you. It is learning to accept this new you, warts, scars, and all. The new you might be different but still amazing.
A message to another survivor: I am living proof that healthy relationships with self and others are possible! I used to feel cursed and now I feel blessed. Keep going, you got this. If anyone can do it, it's you.
I've never done something like this before. Sharing my story anonymously on the internet isn't something I would have considered before. But I have few friends, and no one I feel comfortable talking about these things with, either because I don't know them quite well enough, or because I can't stand the thought of telling them about my own failings that lead to these situations.
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Don't matter what you are or do, you are in charge of your life. There is still hope.
You are more than a conqueror and you are more than what happened to you. As heartbreaking and traumatic your experience was, it does not define who you are and created to be.
I also believe in hope, and in your strength. I got out of a violent, abusive marriage despite the fact few people believed my story at first. Don't worry about proving anything, just take the next step to help yourself heal, you are worth it, and deserve peace.
I believe in you I believe that you have another courage to speak up and get justice if that’s what you want you deserve justice even if you think you don’t
I think I am a victim of COCSA. I've only told two people of this and they are my closest friends that I am associated with and that I love dearly, they mean the absolute world to me, and they have told me that I am. When I was a child, about 5 or so, my family brought me to my cousins house. (I don't remember how old he was or exactly how old I was, just that we were young) That night we were doing the usual things kids do, sitting on the couch watching a movie and playing games with his siblings, until he grabbed my hand and said, "Come here...
The memories won't go away if you push them away.
1 new update
i haven't even started my own journey yet. if I were to give advice, it would be to be patient with yourself and don't push yourself to admit things that you're not ready to. it took me many months of talking it thru with my therapist and ongoing discussions to even utter the words "abuse". and even longer to fathom that I had been thru sexual trauma.
This is my life story, well, at least the major events that come to mind. There are aspects of my life that I have either blocked out or chosen not to remember. When I was about 5 years old, my grandfather on my mother’s side started molesting me. It went on for a while, and I vividly remember crying to my mom, begging her not to make me go back there one weekend. In response, she looked at me and asked if my grandfather was touching me. I mustered the courage to say yes, hoping for support. To my dismay, she told me that my grandfather was si...
"When a Safe Space Shatters: Why Adults May Not Believe a Young Person's Abuse Story" delves into the complex dynamics surrounding the disbelief of young individuals who disclose abuse, particularly when it involves sexual abuse. It highlights the psychological phenomenon of cognitive dissonance, where individuals struggle to reconcile the shocking truth of abuse with their preconceived notions of the perpetrator and their family. This internal conflict often leads to denial, even in the face of evidence.
Narzissten wollen nicht heilen, sie wollen zerstören, sie haben die Verbindung zu sich selber verloren, vor allem zu Gott.
Materialismus, Profitgier, auf dem Rücken der Arbeitnehmer, jeden Tag ist eine Ambulanz vor den Türen, die Mitarbeiter sind so erschöpft, dass manche mit der Ambulanz abgeholt werden müssen und es wird immer schlimmer.
I was sexually assaulted by a soldier that was a coworker while I was at work by myself. I did not want to report because of the abuse I’d been (still am) experiencing from my supervisor. Eventually it was reported correctly but it brought on more abuse at work. My story is not over. I have PTSD now. I pray one day the continued abuse will stop and I’ll be able to work safely.
One doesn’t think that sexual abuse occurs at a major university, a place of higher learning, but it does and they will do everything they can to conceal it from the public.
Statistics demonstrate that academia is the 2nd highest sector of sexual harassment and assault. I spoke up to protect me, colleague, and my students. But when the perpetrator is another professor and the dean himself is accused twice of sexual harassment, what does the university do? They bully, retaliate, deny promotion no matter how many accolades and will change the...
I don't have very clear memories from my childhood and high school years so this might be a bit scattered or lacking detail. I have often had a complicated relationship with intimacy and men. I don't know when or why it started, but I have never truly valued myself the way I should, and thus let others value me even less. I have always been shy and a bit awkward, so when boys started to take an interest in me during high school, I guess I just ran with it. I had a friend in high school who would often make sexual advances to me. I had liked hi...
Don't wait until you get to your breaking point, and hold the adults who should have protected you accountable for their negligence to intervene. You have the power to end the cycle. Being silent is what your harasser wants; they want you to become a shell.
Healing means sitting with the reality of what happened and feeling those feelings of disgust, horror, terror, and anger without running from them
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At this point, I'm not sure. Being able to attract healthy men that wouldn't dream of doing something so vile.
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I didn’t know other people experienced the same thing until today. This may have been the most healing thing to ever happen to me to know that I’m not completely alone.
You are not alone. You deserve to be believed. Don’t waste time and energy trying to figure out why. When they show you who they are believe them. Document document document. If you can, record it (but check your state laws first). If you are able, get an attorney - many will do free consultations. Don’t ever trust HR, they are not there for you!!! They are there to protect the company at all costs. If you can’t hire an attorney, familiarize yourself with your state labor laws. Get support. Use your voice! Tell your story! God saw everything....
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