You’re Not Alone
By: Andrea Delgado
It's Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and it's about time we talk about how we view and discuss sexual assault within our society. Andrea Delgado, a survivor, shares her perspective on how we discuss sexual assault--from the significance of the #MeToo Movement to the importance of discussing consent.
April is a very important month for me. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and I’ve spent the last few months debating if I should write about this topic, and I've finally decided to do it. Writing about this subject is extremely difficult for anybody, but I feel it is even more difficult for me, being a rape survivor. I’ve decided that I will not go too much into detail about what happened to me, but I will talk about what I feel needs to happen before we can see any change.
Sexual assault and rape are controversial topics that people are afraid to talk about. A lot of the time these topics are brought up, people are quick to change the subject because of either fear of vulnerability or fear of conflict. It’s understandable that people are afraid to talk about it, but it’s a subject that needs to be talked about. Awareness needs to be spread because this is something that can be stopped, but how can we expect something to stop when nobody wants to talk about it?
"...but how can we expect something to stop, when nobody wants to talk about it?"
The #MeToo movement has gone viral and has helped spread awareness. A lot of celebrities have joined the #MeToo movement because they know that until people start talking and learning about it, nothing is going to change.
One thing I know needs to happen before any change can occur is learning how to talk about sex. Talking to your children and your partner about sex, especially sex with consent is crucial. If you are too scared to tell your children that their partner needs to say yes before they have sex, you’re not helping the cause.
Consent is more than people think.
If you say yes at first, doesn’t mean you signed a contract and must stick with your initial decision. Remember, you can change your mind at any time, and your partner should be respectful of your decision. I know how it feels to say no and just be taken advantage of.
We need to teach future generations how important consent is.
I may not feel comfortable enough to speak of my trauma, but I do want to be a voice for those worse off than me. I know what you are going through and I wish I could do more to help you, but just know, you are not alone. Rape can happen to anyone at any time. I do hope that one day this won’t be a problem anymore, but until then I am standing up and speaking up for those afraid to speak for themselves.
