Sexual assault is sometimes defined as a brutal act in a dark alley by someone you don’t know. Most often that is not the case.
Being assaulted by someone you don’t know in a secure or public place means you are more likely to report it. Talking about what has happened to you when you know the person or the person is considered respected might be one of the hardest things ever, but it needs to happen.
Don’t talk yourself into thinking it was your fault or that you will be looked down upon, no matter the circumstance.
Telling someone what has happened to you will help you heal, so find someone you can be honest with. It doesn’t have to be someone you know.
It can be a person you don’t know well, a person who is removed from your personal life. It can be someone who is in some type of profession of authority. You can talk to that person in a public place you feel safe.
Reporting sexual assault may be the hardest thing you ever do, but tell someone, even if it has been a long time since the assault itself.
Like anything scary, reporting sexual assault is going to take some guts, but you can do it.
To report sexual assault on campus, contact Head of Security Don Reid 652-7515 and the Wellness Center.
