[Grey Matter]

I have been sexually assaulted, raped (though I don't like to speak of it), verbally and emotionally abused... etc.

Currently; my sister is facing sexual harassment at school. Of course, the administration asked "what were you wearing?" "did you flirt first?" "boys will be boys" etc. She literally has NO protection from this boy in school. And I had no protection to the person who assaulted me in the SAME school.

I feel like we're both seen as jokes. How horrible is that?

Do other survivors feel this way? As if it was brushed off?

[Open Eyes]

I am so sorry this has not only happened to you, but now your sister is at risk.

Unfortunately, yes, all these questions come up to see if the victim may have "invited" the unwanted attention/abuse somehow. Often victims stay quiet because of this problem too. That is why I didn't tell either.

(((Hugs)))
OE

[poemsandpromises]

I'm so sorry you've experienced this.

To answer your question, no, I do not feel like the abuse I suffered was taken seriously. I reached out to a domestic violence organization and they don't seem to take anything less than being beaten to the point where you can see physical marks seriously. They rushed me through the one brief therapy session I attended. Unfortunately it seems like until an abuser kills or permanently, physically injures a person, what they do isn't taken as seriously as it should be.

[nicoleflynn]

I am shocked that in this day and age (so much information on bullying) that a school would take that ridiculous stance....blaming the victim. What would I do? I would tell the administration that unless they do something to stop this, I would go to the police and/or newspapers. I wouldn't be quiet until they did/do something. Their ignorance is appalling.

[GirlOfManyFaces]

Originally Posted by Grey Matter

I have been sexually assaulted, raped (though I don't like to speak of it), verbally and emotionally abused... etc.

Currently; my sister is facing sexual harassment at school. Of course, the administration asked "what were you wearing?" "did you flirt first?" "boys will be boys" etc. She literally has NO protection from this boy in school. And I had no protection to the person who assaulted me in the SAME school.

I feel like we're both seen as jokes. How horrible is that?

Do other survivors feel this way? As if it was brushed off?

Yes, my abuser went to the same school as me and a teacher was the first to find out about it. And I was the one who got I trouble... He is one of the teachers' favorite students at the school now and I was shunned... No one cared about what happened or if I was okay. So you're not alone in this situation.

in my prayers

[transient]

I don't think I was taken seriously when I first told my doctors, because rather than telling me first, they went on ahead and had cps go to my house and they tried to arrest my mom for neglect even though she had no knowledge of it, and was serving overseas. My dad just brushed it off, and without my permission told my sister about it.
When something else happened to me years later, after I finally told my friend for support she brushed it off saying that it wasn't r*** and that I wanted it....
I'm thankful to have my mom's support now, for the sa and the r***, she's the only family member I have that knows all about what I've been through and doesn't blame me.

It doesn't surprise me that schools victim blame and don't handle cases like this the right way, but it still disgusts me and makes me angry. My heart goes out to you and your sister, and the other people who have been blamed or ignored. I hope that since you're her older sister you can support her so she doesn't have to go through this anymore, or so she knows you love her and will be there for her. I'm not sure if there is anything you can do to make the school change the way its treating your sister's harassment.... I know that if I had a little sis and this happened to her I wouldn't let her go to school, I'd call the school's principal/ the school district about it, and if they make her go to a truancy court I'd bring up the case there.

[0w6c379]

This is just horrible. I'm so sorry for you and your sister. I thought society would take such accusations more seriously but I see old habits are hard to break. I was emotionally abused and discarded like it was nothing. Yes, like a joke for some people I guess (in my case we're dealing with adults). Just because there is no physical bruising does not mean you can write it off! There are ways to fight back. Don't give up.