Me Too

Just today, I read a story that a woman had written about her experience with sexual abuse. It was titled "Me too." After reading her story, I felt that I owed it to myself to come clean about some of the things that I went through as a child. I hope that sharing my story will encourage others to do the same.

Still, to this day, I have nightmares about the showers I was forced to take with my stepdad when my mom was at work. The earliest memory I have of this, I was only 3-years-old, although I'm not sure when the abuse started.

I remember a time when I was 6-years-old that my stepbrothers were spending the weekend with us and they made me take my shirt off during truth or dare. That night while I was sleeping I felt one of them come in and try to put their hand up my night gown.

When I was 7-years-old, my brother and I were playing with the neighbors' kids while we were spending the night with our grandparents. One of the kids' dads that we were playing with kidnapped me and held me for several hours until the cops came and arrested him. It felt like I was gone for several days. Still, to this day, I never told anyone what really happened in that house.

A friend and I were only 12 or 13 when we walked to a friend of my mom's house to get something for my mom. When we went in there were several older men there and they were catcalling us and trying to get us to "dance" for them. Even after we told them our age, they continued to ask.

I was 15 when I was at a party and a guy kept trying to hook up with me all night, even though I told him I had a boyfriend. He was much older than me. I went to the bathroom and when I went to come out, he pushed me back in. He then forced his lips on me. I told him no and he told me to relax. I then broke free and ran out of the bathroom and got a ride home.

I'm sharing these things with you because I think it's important for people to know how real sexual abuse is. It's so detrimental that people don't realize that they are not alone! Never be afraid to tell someone if something has happened to you or someone you know. And parents, please listen to your children. If they don't like someone, there is probably a reason. An abuser could be anyone. It could be someone who you love and think you know. Always be aware! Talk to your kids about what to do if someone does or says something inappropriate to them. No one deserves to be abused. #speakout #metoo #survivor