When I was eleven years old, I was sexually assaulted by a friend's father. Later, there was a questioning, and I said nothing of the incident, because I was such a scared, scared little child and he had only really touched me the one time, and in my head, seeing as it was not rape, it didn't matter. They wouldn't care, I told myself. No one would care, I said. It wouldn't make a spot of difference, I thought. I was so ashamed. To this day, I regret not telling the police what happened.
Please, if you have ever been through a similar experience as I have, or if you ever do, then you need to tell someone you can trust as soon as possible. Don't do what I did, and pretend it never happened, and hope that it will just go away. It won't just go away. It will stay with you. For years. Over four years later it still hurts me, though I'm starting to heal because I opened up about it to a close friend, and then another, and now it doesn't seem as shameful as it did. Sexual assault is never your fault. I'm always here for anyone who needs support. Let's join together and be there for each other. Stay strong, everyone.