For many, New Year’s is a time of parties, resolutions, and tacky sequined dresses. For me, it’s quite the opposite. This New Year’s day marks the 5 year anniversary of my sexual assault. While it has been the most devastating event of my life, it has also been the greatest catalyst for my growth. It would cheapen the pain to say I am grateful for it, but on some level I know that I wouldn’t have become my true self without it.
More difficult than the event itself is the aftermath. The reactions of those I loved, the unsolicited advice on how to deal with it, the repression, the depression, and the nights of too many drinks. And while ignoring my feelings was not a coping strategy I intended to choose, it was certainly the one my body and mind chose for me.
