Sexual assault is a serious, delicate, and terrible subject. Perpetrators may be strangers, but far more often are friends and family members, people who were trusted and even loved. Assault and predation is always a result of the perpetrator; gender, sexuality, clothing, age, size, and health do not prevent assault any more than they cause it.
If you have been sexually assaulted, or think you may have been sexually assaulted, speak with an adult you trust, consider the resources provided, and remember that this is not your fault. It does not matter what you were wearing, what you were doing, how old you were, what your relationship to the assaulter was, if you fought or said “no” aloud or not, or whether you were drinking or doing drugs it was not your fault. It may be hands where they weren’t invited, gazes when you believed you had privacy, too much attention from someone older and more powerful, a kiss when you couldn’t safely say no, or a violent rape. If you were not an enthusiastic, informed participant in the encounter then it was not consensual. No one gets to tell you it was no big deal. No one gets to tell you that you have to report. No one gets to tell you that you could have avoided it.
