Persons who have suffered sx.ule assault have various reasons for delaying coming forward, or not coming forward at all. For instance, the trauma is enormous, and never entirely leaves you. The fortunate ones
adapt. After all these years, I still carry shame, have periods of self doubt where I wonder if I could have done something, anything, to protect
myself. As if, somehow, it was my responsibility to protect myself from such perpetrators. How sad, that any victim should feel this way. This
culture still puts the victim on trial. Then, there is the power dynamic. Wealthy, powerful, famous etc people versus a shattered girl/woman who is
‘prostituting her privacy in order for/ revenge, publicity, etc’. I actually had a woman accuse me of such. Who could blame a victim for avoiding
a hellish spectacle? What are the stats around successful prosecution of r.pe? Appalling. Some find the capacity to come forward at a later
date. I applaud their bravery and fortitude. But, there is no shame if one does not. I stayed silent after my professor assaulted me. Aside from the effects of CPTSD, I would never
have received my PhD, and I would have been blacklisted. We need to support sx.ul assault victims, not criticise those who cannot risk further
trauma. I know all too well the despair of being victimised twice, once by the r.pst, and then pilloried by my peers.
