Letter series: To the girl who was raped

Rape. 

One of the most vile things I can think of. 

Rape.

One out of every six American women 

has been the victim of an attempted 

or completed rape in her lifetime. 

1 in 6.

In a college class of 60 women, 

10 have been raped. 

In the coffee shop I am sitting in right now, 

2 have been raped.

2 people I am less than 30 feet from.

1 in 6. 

That is 17.7 million American women. 

Every 107 seconds, another American experiences this horrendous trauma. 

Precious heart, Brave soul,

Hear me.
Please, oh please hear me now.
You did not deserve it. 
It was NOT your fault.
You did nothing to deserve it.
You weren't raped because of where you were. You weren't raped because of the number of drinks you had. You weren't raped because of what you were wearing. You did nothing to cause yourself to be raped. It was in no way your fault.
Dear heart,
even if you invited the man into your home, even if you consented to one thing,
The moment you said "No" it was rape.
Even if you didn't say "No"... If you didn't say "yes"... it was rape.

You didn't deserve it.
Even if you led him on, you didn't deserve it.
Even if you invited him in.
Even if you went to his house.
You didn't deserve to be raped.

Brave girl,
You are not worthless.
You are not damaged goods.
You are not wasted.

You are a survivor.
You don't have to let him win.

You can report him.
You can choose to not report him.
You can choose to not go back to him.
You can choose to go back to him.

(Please sweet girl, if he is unhealthy for you, make the brave choice to stay away.)

You have power. You are not powerless.

You have control. You are not out of control.

Your world is shaking, but it doesn't have to crumble.

Your work is crumbling, but you don't have to fall.

You can fall, but you don't have to stay down forever.

You can proudly stand up.

You can move forward.

Your story is not over.

Dear heart, hear me, 

You deserve kindness.

You deserve tenderness.

You deserve true love.

It may hurt like hell now, but you are a survivor.

Your story is not over.

You are loved.

XOXO