ONE TEENAGER'S STORY

Growing up, I had no real concept of domestic violence or sexual assault. I knew that the issues existed, but I assumed that my friends and family were immune from them. In particular, I thought that relationship and family violence was only prevalent in poor, clearly troubled neighborhoods. As a kid I would not have believed how personally impacted I would be by both domestic violence and sexual assault by the age of sixteen.

When I was fifteen years old, I started dating a guy about a year older than me. At first, things were perfect. He was sweet, considerate and respectful of me. However, about six months into the relationship, he became extremely controlling. He also became increasingly violent. When I would say or do the wrong thing, he would lash out at me by shaking, kicking or hitting me. He also became sexually aggressive, physically forcing me to engage in sexual acts I did not want to engage in. After each and every time he was violent, he would break down crying and tell me how sorry he was and how much he needed me. What I did not realize at the time was that my relationship was a prime example of mental, emotional, sexual and physical abuse.

It was not until I confided in my friends and family about what I was experiencing that I started to realize how badly I needed to get out of the relationship. Eventually, my mom referred me to Susan B. Anthony Project, where I began going to counseling. While it sounds cliché, Susan B. Anthony Project made me realize that I was not alone, not even close to being alone, in my situation. My SBAP counselor Alisha helped me understand that staying in an abusive relationship did not make me a weak or stupid person. She served as a truly unbiased and non-judgmental listener. Finally, I was able to end the relationship. He went to jail, and I moved on with my life.

My experience taught me how important it is to be vocal and open about issues of domestic violence and sexual assault. Maybe if I had been more informed of these issues, I would not have stayed involved with my ex-boyfriend as long as I did. Moreover, through the past few years, I learned that it truly is possible to derive positive consequences from something negative. For example, I have had the opportunity to volunteer for the Susan B. Anthony Project...

Download and read the entire article