Rape: Afraid to tell

Nothing more can be said...
The very word gets my blood boiling...and with good reason: I was raped when I was 18 and 7 months pregnant for my first child. The offender: a guy I knew from school and from my first husband.

I did not report it.

When you tell the man that is supposed to love and protect you that another man has raped you, and he laughs and replies: "Friends share with friends," how do you tell anyone else? Would THEY believe you?

Here are some interesting and frightening statistics from RTS--rape trauma services:

Only 16% of rapes are ever reported to the police. In a survey of victims who did not report rape or attempted rape to the police, the following was found as to why no report was made: 43% thought nothing could be done, 27% felt it was a private matter, 12% were afraid of police response, and 12% felt it was not important enough.

Rape is the most underreported violent crime in the United States.

I am one of the 43%.

How many perpetrators are there out there walking past you on the street, working beside you, or even sleeping next to you?

Frightening question, isn't it?  It should be. 

I "should" have reported it, because I was not his only victim as I found out just a few short years ago. I might have been able TO prevent there being a "next" victim.  

By writing this, I hope I can get just one a single woman to step forward and report that she was raped. Don't be afraid to tell. Get this creep off the street before he rapes again! 

Please... 

His 'next' victim might be your mother, your sister, your daughter, or even your best friend. 

Don't remain his victim. 

Comments

  1. I never reported any of my sexual assaults either - "date rape" they call them now. One assault was by a friend of my boyfriend who thought he had a right to any female, including his own daughter I found out. He definitely should have been reported. Unfortunately, it IS true that quite often these creeps beat the system & the court lets them go. It's a matter of "he said, she said", & "he" always says "she wanted it. It was consensual." How do you fight against that when the cards have always been stacked against women in this male dominated world? Maybe women need to get tough & start having the mindset of protecting themselves - with a weapon that puts the rape issue to rest for all time with their attacker. Be ready to fight at all times, with weapon on hand if possible!

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  2. Yes...I agree that these creeps often...too often...beat the system. I can't give you an answer as to how to combat the supposed consensual aspect...it really is B.S.

    I know that after my rape/marital rapes...I swore that no man was ever going to do that to me again. Protect myself...you betcha...and I'd do what I had to! 8 )

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