Hey sis… I’m going to be real with you for a second. 💛
I didn’t even realize that April was Sexual Assault Awareness Month at first. And when I found out, I sat with it for a moment…
Because I knew I couldn’t let this month pass without saying something.
Not just for awareness… but for us.
For the women who carry stories, pain, confusion, and healing that isn’t always visible.
So this isn’t just a post.
This is personal.
And if this is part of your story too…
I want you to know you’re not alone.
In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month
This one is personal.
This isn’t just a blog.
This is a piece of my story.
And if you’ve ever experienced something similar…
this is a letter to you too.
💔 Let’s Start Here
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
And while the world is talking about awareness, prevention, and statistics…
I want to talk about something deeper.
The girl behind the pain.
Because I was her.
A little girl who experienced something she never should have.
A little girl who didn’t have the language for what was happening.
A little girl who was left confused, hurt, and trying to make sense of something that didn’t make sense.
🧠 The Impact No One Talks About Enough
When you go through that kind of trauma…
It doesn’t just stay in that moment.
It follows you.
It shows up in:
how you see yourself
how you trust others
how you move through relationships
how safe you feel in the world
For me…
It made trusting people hard.
I questioned intentions.
I guarded my heart.
I carried confusion and pain that I didn’t always know how to express.
And for a long time, I didn’t fully understand how deeply it affected me.
🤍 The Part That Could Have Gone Another Way
Let’s be real, sis…
Pain like that can take you down different paths.
It can harden you.
It can make you shut down.
It can make you repeat cycles.
But even in my confusion… even in my hurt…
I knew one thing deep in my spirit:
I never wanted to make anyone feel the way I felt.
Never.
And that decision right there?
That was the beginning of my healing… even before I knew it.
🌿 Turning Pain Into Purpose
That experience didn’t define me…
But it did shape me.
It’s part of why I chose to go into the human service field.
Because I know what it feels like:
to be hurt
to feel unseen
to carry something heavy as a child
to need support and not always have the words
And I made a decision:
If I could be the safe space I needed… I would be that for someone else.
Not because I had it all figured out.
But because I understood.
💌 To the Woman Reading This Who Went Through It Too
Sis…
If you experienced sexual abuse or any form of violation…
I need you to hear me clearly:
It was not your fault.
Not then.
Not now.
Not ever.
You were a child.
You were vulnerable.
You deserved protection, not harm.
And I know the layers that come with it:
The confusion
The shame
The silence
The questions
The trust issues
The emotional weight
But listen to me…
What happened to you does not define your worth.
🕊 You Are Allowed to Heal
Healing doesn’t happen overnight.
It’s not linear.
It’s not perfect.
It doesn’t look the same for everyone.
Some days you feel strong.
Some days it still hurts.
Some days you’re triggered by things you didn’t expect.
And all of that?
Is part of the process.
You are allowed to:
take your time
feel your emotions
seek support
set boundaries
rebuild trust at your own pace
🌸 You Are Not What Happened to You
Sis…
You are not broken.
You are not damaged goods.
You are not unworthy of love, peace, or a healthy life.
You are:
resilient
strong
evolving
healing
becoming
Even if it doesn’t feel like it every day.
🫶🏽 Support Matters (You Don’t Have to Do This Alone)
If you’re carrying this silently, please know there is support available:
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
24/7 confidential support: 800-656-HOPE
988 Lifeline (Emotional Support)
Therapy for Black Girls
https://therapyforblackgirls.com
You deserve safe spaces to process and heal.
🙏🏽 Final Word — Sister to Sister
Sis…
I see you.
Even if nobody else knows your story…
Even if you’ve never said it out loud…
Even if you’re still trying to make sense of it…
I see you.
And I want you to know:
You are not alone.
You are not what happened to you.
And your life is not over because of it.
There is still:
healing peace joy purpose and love
waiting for you.
And if you’re still here…
That means your story is still being written.
🤍 A Soft Prayer for Survivors
Dear God…
We come to You gently…
with hearts that have known pain,
memories that still feel tender,
and stories that were never meant to be carried alone.
Lord, You saw what happened.
Even in the moments we felt unseen…
You were there.
And today, we ask for Your healing presence.
Wrap Your love around every survivor reading this.
Touch the places that still ache.
Bring peace to the parts of them that feel unsettled.
God, remind them that it was not their fault.
Not then. Not now. Not ever.
Release them from shame.
Lift the weight of confusion.
Quiet the voices that make them question their worth.
Replace pain with peace.
Fear with safety.
Brokenness with wholeness.
Teach them how to trust again…
starting with You.
Surround them with safe people.
Give them the courage to speak,
the strength to heal,
and the grace to take it one day at a time.
And Lord, for the little girl they once were…
hold her.
comfort her.
remind her she is still worthy of love, protection, and gentleness.
We declare healing.
We declare restoration.
We declare that their story does not end in pain.
It continues in strength, purpose, and peace.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen. 🤍
