At first, being a survivor felt like I had this mark of shame. It felt like there was this monster in the room that only I could see, and it was taking up so much space there wasn’t enough for both of us. It was something I had to conquer and take back my space in. So, I started talking about it and coming to terms with what had happened to me. 

Then, people told me I was basing my entire personality on the fact that I was raped. It was so uncomfortable for people to hear about, that they tried to shame me into not talking about it or paint me as a liar who just “cried rape for attention.” At some point, I realized people just aren’t educated enough to be supportive, and I had to choose between making those people happy or myself. I decided to choose me, and with that choice came choosing other survivors. I keep my door and my inbox open for all survivors because I know what it is like to feel alone in the aftermath, and I don’t want anyone to ever have to feel that.