A Much Needed Hero

Let me start this post by stating that I am talking about specific people in this post related to the USA gymnastics scandal and a story from my own teenage years, please don’t assume I am talking about anyone other than those.

I have been watching the Larry Nassar case for the past few weeks, I thought everyone was. When I said something about it at work, not one person that I was talking to knew what I was talking about. It shocked me that more people weren’t concerned that a well-respected doctor had been allowed and enabled to molest girls for decades.

I said what I wanted to say in the work conversation and they moved on as if it wasn’t that big a deal, but it is.

This women’s lives were forever changed when that monster touched them. Then, as icing on the cake, the few who founs the courage to tell what happened to them weren’t believed.

When I was 15 years old, I was raped by my boyfriend. He pinned me down on a couch and forced himself on me.

Iwas humiliated, violated and devastated.

I didn’t tell.

Anyone.

I stayed with him. Out of fear. Out of embarrassment.

Because he stole my value, my worth.

I had been taught my whole life that as a female, my worth was tied into my virginity, and he stole that.

Months later, I broke down and confided in a friend who believed me and understood.  That gave me courage to eventually tell my mom. She told me that I needed to marry the guy since I’d had sex with him.

That messed me up and I talked to a school counselor, she had to report it to the police. The officer who took my statement told me that since I stayed with my abuser, they wouldn’t be forwarding the case for prosecution.

So many people let me down when I was raped, but I had a few heroes, a few people who gave me hope.

I will forever be grateful for those #HopeGivers who stood up in my life and became my hero.

In the Larry Nassar case, so many people let down these amazing women by not believing them, but finally, an incredible judge let them tell their story during the sentencing hearing through their impact statement.

Judge Rosemarie Aquilina gave almost 150 women, survivors, heroes, a voice.

It was incredible to watch as survivor after survivor read how their life had been impacted by Nassar.

I am thankful for all the heroes who listen and do something for victims, allowing them to regain, a piece of themselves that had been taken…

Their voice.