No More Silence

The Beginning, Middle, and End.

I have a story to tell you about life, and the challenges that I have faced throughout my journey. Let me start by introducing myself...

I prefer to stay anonymous because some of the things I am about to share with you haven't left the safety of my own lips. What I can tell you is this, I am 19 years old, I have an amazing family and I wouldn't be so positive to this day without them. They are my cookie at the end of a long hard day at work. (My treat to myself.) Some people like to say "They are the light at the end of the tunnel." Well, for me? Cookies are waaaaaaaay better.

My story begins when I was 12 years old. I always had a problem with being happy, even at the ripe age of 12. Kinda sad, but hey, everyone has their own dilemma.. My family had a friend that everyone knew as more of an uncle. He was always around and he was seemingly a great man. Treated everyone with respect and whenever he came around you could expect some candy!

When you're a kid if someone has candy they are your new best friend. No questions aksed! Little did I know trusting him would be the worst mistake I ever made. Now, I hate when people leave you hanging and not tell you what happens but I think this is one of those stories where I should leave it at that.

He was a man that shouldn't have been trusted.

Some women look back on their rapists/ molesters /abusers, as a sort of rescuer, if you will. They helped them get a voice and speak out. Me? I wasn't so lucky. I told myself that it would never happen again. But it did, over and over again...

What that man did to me will never be okay, and I hope and pray every single night that someone finds him and brings him to justice. But me? I can't speak out, my voice? It deceives me.

I write this article as a way of coming to terms to what happened to me all those years ago. I pray that the girls that have been through what I have been through. I pray that you can find your voice and speak out even though I wasn't able too. I pray for you with all that I have. Find your voice to speak out against what that person that has hurt you did. If your voice deceives you like mine has done to me. Than you need to write a story for all the other survivors like you.

Like me.

We are strong.

We will not be silenced.

We will stand together, and in the silence of our presence....

WE WILL BE HEARD.