Why I didn’t report sexual abuse; survivors and their stories

Social media users have taken to twitter to tell why they did not report sexual abuse with the trending hash tag #WhyIDidntReport. Sexual abuse is a life long trauma that many people struggle to get over with. Even after many years, the wounds are still fresh for some survivors. April is the sexual assault awareness month. The survivors are recounting their stories and there is much to be learned.

How #WhyIDidntReport started

Why I Didn’t Report sexual abuse came after US president Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh as supreme court justice in 2018. Kavanaugh was accused of sexual assault by Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor. Yet she did not reported it at the time. Eventually Kavanaugh was appointed as supreme court justice. But, the story does not end there. Many took to social media to recount what they have gone through.

Why I didn’t report sexual abuse, stories

Many knew the perpetrator. He was some one close and some one trusted.

Most of the sexual abuse took place when the victims were young. They did not fully understand what was happening.

Women are not the only victims of sexual abuse. It can happen to men as well.

Even women can be perpetrators who sexually abuse either women or men.

Alyssa Milano, an American actress who appeared in popular TV show Charmed, recounted that sexual abuse did not occur just once. It occurred thrice and she did not report it.

There were those that reported sexual assault. But either the responsible adults ignored them, or the justice system failed them. Victim blaming is common when sexual abuse cases are concerned. Sponge bob pajamas and a school t shirt will only arouse a pedophile.

When someone reports sexual abuse, the path to justice is not easy. It discourages many victims from speaking up.

Then this police officer reported her sexual abuse. But at the cost of her job.