cOMMOn qUESTIONs

Why would someone do something like this?

Some statistics are saying that the chances of being raped are 1 in 4. Rape is a crime. It happens because someone wants to take advantage of someone else. It has little to do with sex, and is more a crime of power

 and control, where sex is a weapon used against you. You are only responsible for your actions; not for the actions of another person. The most important thing to remember is that you survived the attacked.

You will ask yourself, repeatedly, "Why did this happen to me?" There aren't any easy answers. It comes down to a choice one person makes to control another person. Rape isn't a crime about sex. Sex is only the weapon used.

But it was someone I trusted!

You may feel completely betrayed, because the person who did this was someone you knew and trusted. That's part of what makes this crime so hard from which to recover. However, the actions taken against you were wrong and not your fault. Any shame that you feel is shame that belongs to the attacker. There's no shame in doing what you have to do to survive a rape.

It's difficult if you know the person who sexually abused/raped you.  Whether it is a parent, relative, neighbor, boyfriend, friend, etc., IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT!!  Studies show us that, most of the time, the person is known to the victim. This doesn't mean, however, that what happened to you isn't rape, even if you have had consensual sex with this person in the past.
 

Visit www.Securityoncampus.com for more information

Helping the survivor

When someone confides in you about abuse, do not to judge them. 

Listen to them, offer help in any way they need it. 

If you cannot help them in that way, find out who can. 

BE SUPPORTIVE. 

If they need to cry, let them cry.

Reassure them that they did nothing to deserve the abuse.

Realize that the survivor is experiencing many emotions you may not understand.