You Are Heard

By Gina Pedroza

Trigger warning: topics of rape and sexual assault will be discussed

On average there are 433,648 victims of rape from ages 12 or older. According to RAINN most of the victims of rape are usually under the age of 18 and are likely to experience symptoms of PTSD later on in their lives.

A person we'll call Sierra, for safety reasons I will not be referring to her by her real name, was 16 working as a manager at a fast-food restaurant when the incident occurred. She was working a night shift and there were very few people so she would use the spare time to connect with her co-workers.

But one day it went a bit too far with one of her older co-workers, while working her usual night shift her 35 year old co-worker decided to kiss her unprovoked. She was understandably upset but let it slide and didn't think much of it

Younger people are at a higher risk of being sexually assaulted. RAINN.org shows that 30% of people who have been assaulted report incidents of said rape. Sierra says that she herself did not report the incident after it happened.

“ After that, I told him I was going to tell on him because he's not supposed to be kissing minors at work, and he didn't even say anything he just said “see you next week”.”

Some assault tendencies come from not being informed properly of what rape and or consent and boundaries are and how it can affect someone permanantly.

Sexual assaults can be prevented in many ways but it should never be victim blaming. A simple sit down and lesson with your parents or a trusted adult could help. The Times.com states that being taught young about consent and boundaries and how important it is to respect others, is the first step of preventing a future assault.

For some people it isn't normal for their parents to sit down with their children and give them that uncomfortable but super helpful talk.

Times.com also stated that “Parents usually limit “sex” talks with their sons, but when it comes to their daughters they get a longer and more complex talk.” This means that usually boys get their sex information from friends and porn where non-consentual sex is prevalent. They don’t understand that consent needs to be informed, enthusiastic, sober, ongoing and freely given.

As much as i want to go on about how porn plays a part in rape culture i would like to touch on the subject of young teens not noticing that theyv’e been assaulted till much later. In many instances young teens and children don't realize they've been violated until an adult explains the many ways someone could be disrespected.

For Sierra she didn't realize until much later up to the point where she felt super uncomfortable.

“At first I thought he was just being friendly, but then he hugged me and kissed me on the cheek, then I realized a week later that it really wasn't ok for him to be doing that. Sierra mentioned that at the moment she didn't really know what had happened because she was shocked.

This usually happens with sexual assault victims when the incident initially happens.

But when the victim is informed of their assault it can play a part in their mental health. PTSD is one of the many things that can affect the victim after their assault and can lead to severe depression and even some thoughts of suicide.

Not only could it be physically damaging but also mentally damaging is the worst way possible.

According to RAINN.org, 30% of women report symptoms of PTSD 9 months after the rape, 33% of women who are raped contemplated suicide and 13% of women who are raped attempted suicide.

It's important to implement better sexual education courses in high schools and middle schools to prevent future incidents; where educators take rape and sexual assualt very seriously.

As of now the current courses that are being taught are mostly based around sexual organs and how they work, but a vital subject that is missing is the importance of consent and how to respect other people's boundaries.

With better classes that talk about the unfortunate reality of rape, it will definitely help more victims feel safe and heard and could possibly help them come out with their stories in order to get the justice that they deserve.

If someone you know tells you that they have been a victim of sexual assault, it is important that they are listened to and believed. Offering to help them find a safe, confidential counselor who can give them information and options can be the first step to healing. If you don't feel comfortable telling an adult, reach out to friends so that they can help you overcome this difficult situation. Help is available, you are not alone and you will be heard.

Here is the National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-4673 or visit www.rainn.org for more information.