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

[MuseRider]

185. Yes, have been assaulted.

Started when I was just a kid. Still after that I did not have the sense to know that I was not protected by the innate goodness of others and various amounts and forms of it have occurred from time to time. Was grabbed by a man driving a car one early morning when the hospital I worked for decided that the nurses had to park away from the hospital. Everyone was scared and bothered. The guy drove by and grabbed me and drug me for a little while until I shook loose and ran. I know how to fight, rape never happened once I grew enough to know it was OK for me to fight back. Many of us are taught at a young age that it is not OK to fight back. My major aftereffect is that I become frightened at night. I must lock myself in the house and I can't go out, even way out here on the farm. What I don't get done before the sun goes down does not get done. Irrational maybe but it can't be helped, I am never comfortable when it is dark. When I have to be out at night, and I do frequently, I am terrified until I get to my car and lock the doors.

I don't talk about it in my life with others but I don't know very many women who have not felt violated in one way or another.