MeLiSsAMaRiE's blog: "I am a survivor"

"Every two minutes somewhere in the US a woman is raped. Only 30 percent of rapes are reported. Unfortunately rape is the most under reported crime in the US and the only crime where the victim is treated like a criminal.  I was one of the 30 percent that reported my rape. The rapist often issues threats of bodily harm and/ or killing, such as in my case, to quiet the victims. Many women live in fear that their rapist will come back and kill them plus rape unfortunately still carries a stigma, which is why it often goes unreported. Rape forever changes the lives of its victims, leaving scars that will never heal. My rapist manipulated me, threatened to kill me, choked me so hard I almost passed out and my eyes were bleeding. I was slapped around, and  told repeatedly what would happen to me if i didn't comply. For an hour and a half I was under his total control. It forever changed my sense of security, my trust in men, my view of sex EVERYTHING""I have fought each day for 10 years to take back the control that bastard took from me. I am STRONG because I am a SURVIVOR. And NO ONE is going to tell me other wise. I lived through the pain afterward which was incredibly intense. I didn't take drugs to deal. I did not drink, I did not attempt to take my life, even though I wanted to. It was the darkest period of my life and NO WOMAN OR MAN SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT. I am strong. I am brave and so are the millions of men and woman who also lived to tell their story and those who can't because they live in fear."