Silence by Victim of Sexual Assault

Sexual assault usually refers to an attack on a person, attacks, tricked, and forced into a sex act when you are not in agreement, could be a stranger or family member. A term that many people are not willing to discuss in our society, but affects many on both sides of the gender. Some state has a different way of prosecuting sexual assault cases, depending on if there was penetration or not.In society today, some might argue that most of the crimes being prosecuted as sexual assault need to be changed, due to the facts some individuals were portrayed as a monster and is locked up for life for a long period who could have been rehabilitated and put back in society. But when you are a victim of sexual assault, you want the person to pay for the crime committed against you.

Common knowledge:

1. Most of us can remember the case of now, justice Cavanagh during his nomination hearing. The victim in this case was traumatized all over again, depending on what you might consider as sexual assault. It was very sad to see how this victim was been talked about and treated by society through the media (CNN, FOX news); the credibility of her account of what happened to her was been questioned. This is the story of many young women today, especially when a family member is involved, nothing hurts more after going through this trauma and still, you are not believed. When this happens many women decide either to be hurt once or twice or dealt with and may later in life if they find someone to trust, at this time even the court of law depends on the state will not accept your case.

2. I have a niece that was fifteen years old had behavior issues or so we thought. She ran away from home, skipping school, fighting with the Mom and the Mom will have to call the police, and tried to commit suicide several times. I came to find out, she had reported sexual assault against her uncle and the mom made her rekindle her statement to the authorities in other to avoid a prison term for this individual because it was family. All she wanted was for someone to believe her. It is very concerning when a mother is covering up sexual assault of her daughter because it is family, who will she confer in. You rather allow your daughter to be traumatizing for life or bring justice for her.

Personal Knowledge:

1. I am a victim of sexual assault. The one thing people need to understand when it comes to sexual assault victims is, you don't want anyone to know what had happened because of the shame and guilt especially in our culture, even your parent will blame you for putting yourself in that situation. I hope society will try to understand why victims of sexual assault sometimes don't report the crime right after it happens.

2. I kept this secret to myself not until I might my husband that I told him. Being able to talk to someone like my husband who did not listen but did not judge me, gave me great relief. It shaped my trust in people especially around my kids; they might be close friends or family members not because I had a reason not to trust them but I don't want my children to experience what happened to me. I could remember when I was growing up, if my Mom is going to the store, she will keep us with our labor until she is back, today there is no trust even within families, nanny and daycare are not safe as used to be; finding trust become so difficult in our today culture.