Solidarity in Breaking the Silence- by Bradley University blogger Ashley

It’s never an easy move to make the decision to share the truth of your assault with a friend or trusted loved one, and it’s even harder to share this truth with “strangers” in your college community. Unless you attend a very small institution, the likelihood of even 15% of the school population recognizing you is slim. Regardless of whether we personally know each other or not, we are now united as a family larger than our parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. Just because we don’t know each other doesn’t mean we can’t support each other, right?

Unfortunately, there tends to be an overwhelming sense of disbelief when word gets around that someone is “claiming” to have been assaulted. Instead of first worrying about the victim, many people jump to blaming the person— “Oh, well how can we be sure that really happened? You know people lie to get attention.” I understand why so many survivors remain silent.

Even when it seems like so many people are against you, or simply so nonchalant because you’re not their friend or family, there are still many people ready to support you the minute you break your silence. On campus, if the opportunities are not already present, there are other ways to share your experience with others.

•  At this year’s Vagina Monologues, some women walked up and stated that they were a survivor or supported survivors. This sparked conversations after the show that resulted in survivors feeling less alone and others joining the fight to end sexual assault.
• If you’re a writer, writing a poem and sharing it at an open mic night is another platform to share. People learn what paths you’ve walked and view you as an even stronger person for speaking in a room full of (mostly) unfamiliar faces. You also never know who’s in the crowd and really appreciates your strength to speak up when they cannot.
•  Bring a survivor to speak on campus and share your story after their presentation. It’s not super easy to bring speakers to campus, but with the support of other campus organizations, this is one of the best ways to get other survivors on campus to share their experience, as well as reach the larger campus community. Hearing how someone has moved forward in life after their experience can ignite courage in so many others to break the silence.
•  During weeks dedicated to sexual assault prevention and education, consider having a table in a central location on campus. Not only can you educate your fellow colleagues in an informal way, but you can also share your story with those who choose to stop by and listen.

These are just a few ways that survivors can at least feel more comfortable with sharing their experience with the campus community. No one’s expecting you to walk on stage a week later and yell to the world that you are a survivor; healing takes time. You will heal even more and grow stronger the day you share your story. Your story is important and should be heard. You are a survivor.