?- is there a woman here at DU who has not experienced sexual violence?

[FlaGranny]

161. I am one of the lucky ones.

Had a couple of incidents. When I was about 8 I got off the schoolbus in front of my house and an old guy in a Cadillac tried to coax me into his car. I ran. Another incident riding a crowded city bus where a guy was rubbing himself against me and I should have poked him in the nose, but I didn't do anything. I'm still sorry I didn't and that was 50 years ago.

Other than those two incidents I have never experienced violence of any kind. My family life was great. None of the boys in school tried anything. I married at 17, a kind, gentle young man 5 years older than me, who became ill and died at the age of 30. Then I met my present husband of 46 years, also a kind and gentle man.

I had some dates in between first and second husbands. Some of them were a bit persistent but always respected my wishes in the end. I always felt I had a "sixth sense" when it comes to people. I get a "feeling" and I always respected that feeling.

I've been pretty lucky too. I spent several years working on a military base and some years working in the city (a very dangerous one) and walking to bus stops, etc., with the only incidents being occasional men hooting and whistling at me.

The combination of my sixth sense about people and good luck got me through okay. I wish everyone could have been as lucky as I have been.