Poetry

Hi, I've Been Sexually Assaulted

Hi, I've been sexually assaulted.

I can guess what some of you are thinking when I say that,

Some of you are probably thinking, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry that happened to you."

And then others are probably thinking, "She was asking for it."

To those of you thinking that, let me tell you something

The different types of clothes I wear, how I portray myself, and my sobriety do not choose which category I am placed in.

If i was a quiet, sober, modest girl, I would be placed in the category where people would be concerned for me.

But if I was a loud, drunk girl in a skimpy outfit...

Well then I was asking for it, wasn't I?

Hi, I think I've been sexually assaulted but I'm not really sure,

Because society's definition of rape has affected other people's definition of rape and sexual assault

So I'm not sure if people will listen to me when I say that I've been sexually assaulted.

I have experienced unwanted sexual contact.

Not the the definitions of

Contact,

Sexual, and

Unwanted

Will vary by my gender and race and level of intoxication. They will vary by my age and what I was wearing and my sexuality and if I knew my attacker and if I was dating them.

Hi, I've been sexually assaulted, but it's okay.

It's okay, because he was a star football player and I was just a sixth chair flute player.

It's okay, because he was the CEO of a 64 floor building and I was just the janitor that worked there at 2 A.M. when the place had become empty.

It's okay, because he's a somebody and I'm just a nobody.

It's okay because I didn't really say no, and everyone knows that if you don't say no, that equals a yes, right?

Wrong.

Just because I didn't say no, does not mean I said yes.

Just because I didn't say no, does not mean you are allowed to grope me and kiss my neck and pull me into your bedroom.

Just because I didn't say no, does not mean you can touch me.

Hi, I've been sexually assaulted.