if it was your story

[An anti -victim blaming project] [“He was asking for it with those clothes,” the officer said, pointing at the black shorts he wore. It was torn at the bottom, with knotted hems and hanging strings from his shaking silhouette. A spectating officer nodded, turning to him and grunting, “Make sure to cover up— maybe then, this won’t happen.” A sigh escaped the sheriff’s mouth, as he was excused, trembling with his head down. What he felt was not only fear, but shame, shame for ‘not being a man–’ shame for being raped.] [A child sat down; she was bruised, yet smiled softly, her wide eyes looking up at a stranger. They had asked for her story. “I…” she started, “was raped.” Her gaze shifted down as her thumbs ran over another, before continuing– “My teacher.. did it to me. He told me that he needed help in the bathroom; I mindlessly followed him,” she said, smiling softly as if it was nothing. “When I went into the stall, he locked the door behind us, before my body was taken. I told my dad; he said that it was normal for women, and that I should learn to deal with it. I told my mom, but she said that I was developing, and my teacher was simply admiring me. She treated me as ungrateful for not enjoying the ‘compliments’ he left me with. But it doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have been careless.” The little girl stood up, before looking the stranger in the eyes– her expression was blank, yet you could tell what she was thinking. She bowed before exiting the train, leaving the stranger with many thoughts.] And people the audacity to question why sexual assault isn’t reported. It’s their fault until it’s your child, your friend, your sibling, your mom; you. If I stab you because you’re not wearing armor, is it your fault? If I throw you in a river because you don’t have a swimsuit, is it your fault? If I throw a knife at you because you don’t have a shield, is it your fault? If I strangled you because you’re not wearing a scarf, is it your fault? To blame a victim is to attempt to compensate for the lack of self control that others have.