A Journey of Healing: My Story
I’ve always been someone who trusted the world to be a kind place, someone who found joy in the little things and held onto dreams of love, success, and a life filled with meaning. But one night, everything changed. A night that started out as nothing special—just a night out with friends—turned into something that would alter my life forever.
The assault was brutal, and it didn’t just shatter my sense of security, it tore apart my perception of the world. There was fear, anger, and above all, an overwhelming sense of confusion. How could this happen to me? Why?
In the days, weeks, and months that followed, I struggled. I stayed away from mirrors, barely left my house, and tried to convince myself that the world was still the same, that I could still live the life I had before. But slowly, with the help of therapy, understanding friends, and a support group of other survivors, I began to piece myself back together.
It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t a straight path. Some days were harder than others, but every morning, I chose to keep going. I chose to reclaim parts of myself, even when it felt impossible. Sometimes, when I wasn’t ready to speak, I just held on.
My healing journey hasn’t been about forgetting what happened—it’s been about regaining control over my own story. I’ve stopped defining myself by the trauma. I’ve learned that my worth is not tied to someone else’s actions. Slowly, I’ve started rediscovering the things that made me smile, the parts of myself that had been buried under fear and pain. I’m still rebuilding, but every step forward feels like a victory, no matter how small.
To everyone who has gone through something similar, please know you are not alone. Your story is not one of shame—it is a story of incredible strength. The road to healing is not a straight line, and it’s okay to take it one step at a time. There is no “right” way to heal, and there is no timeline for recovery. Every day you survive, every day you choose to keep going, you are reclaiming your power.
To those who have never experienced this kind of trauma: Listen. Believe. Support. We need to break the silence surrounding these stories. Survivors deserve compassion, not judgment. Together, we can create a world where no one feels isolated, where healing is possible, and where violence is never tolerated.