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I've been sitting here at my desk for the better part of today with my heart in my throat, struck dumb with fierce love for you all. It shouldn't be so surprising that our community of fans is made up of such amazing, beautiful people, but seeing that strength is so much more powerful than simply knowing it's there.
I'm lucky enough to have lived a fairly sheltered, protected life. When I was younger, I didn't even have a firm grasp of what rape really meant - a luxury I make sure to never take for granted. I learned exactly what it meant when I found my mother crying on the couch a few months after I'd turned sixteen, though. Finding her there was an accident - she had never planned to tell me outright what had happened to her, but she didn't have it in her to lie, not when I was right there, a reminder of what she'd lost. She told me about how she had been raped by her boyfriend when she was a junior in high school, how her parents had let her choose between an abortion and being disowned, how the guilt still had her apologizing to my big brother every year.
My mother is one of the strongest women I've ever met, and not just because she kept on living, but because she has accepted it wasn't her fault and she's here to tell my cousin, Jenny - who's been raped and verbally abused and tossed aside like so much garbage over and over again; who's starting to believe that's all she's good for - it's not her fault either.
It's women like my mother and like each and every one of you - women who overcome pain and adversity with grace - that make me proud I'm a woman too. So, thank you.
Thank you. ♥
I'm lucky enough to have lived a fairly sheltered, protected life. When I was younger, I didn't even have a firm grasp of what rape really meant - a luxury I make sure to never take for granted. I learned exactly what it meant when I found my mother crying on the couch a few months after I'd turned sixteen, though. Finding her there was an accident - she had never planned to tell me outright what had happened to her, but she didn't have it in her to lie, not when I was right there, a reminder of what she'd lost. She told me about how she had been raped by her boyfriend when she was a junior in high school, how her parents had let her choose between an abortion and being disowned, how the guilt still had her apologizing to my big brother every year.
My mother is one of the strongest women I've ever met, and not just because she kept on living, but because she has accepted it wasn't her fault and she's here to tell my cousin, Jenny - who's been raped and verbally abused and tossed aside like so much garbage over and over again; who's starting to believe that's all she's good for - it's not her fault either.
It's women like my mother and like each and every one of you - women who overcome pain and adversity with grace - that make me proud I'm a woman too. So, thank you.
Thank you. ♥
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i am so very fortunate to have met someone like you in this amazing community. you're so very wonderful and an amazing person
*snuggles*
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It's women like my mother and like each and every one of you - women who overcome pain and adversity with grace - that make me proud I'm a woman too. So, thank you.
Thank you. ♥
That's exactly the way I feel, only you were able to phrase it so much better than I ever could. :)
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I think the worst thing is that most women it happens to feel like it's somehow their fault, and feel like they can't talk to anyone about it because they'll be blamed for it.
When I was in primary school, my best friend was raped, AT SCHOOL, by one of the teachers. Everyone was told that it was just some random man who came onto the school grounds, but it was a teacher, and my friend left and I haven't seen her since. She was an absolutely amazing girl and I miss her all the time. I can't actually imagine what she went through, it must have been awful.
♥
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Kudos to all of you.
And some of the weakest people are the ones who cry rape as revenge against an ex. Unfortunately, I have known several of these cases. It makes the issue trivial and has people immediately casting doubt on what may be a serious case. I hate those people. I won't sugarcoat it-- those people should all be forced to watch the most graphic of videos and told, "This is what you made a mockery of-- pray to God that you don't ever experience it, because no one will you take serious now."