Survivor Stories

Josh’s Story

“Not everyone has a chance to write a book, but we need a place to tell our story; A place where the microphone is ours.”

Tagged in: LGBTQ, Male survivors, Therapy

Tiana’s Story

“Trust yourself. Know that you can. You are capable. You are stronger than you think.”

Tiana St. Clair is a singer, activist, backpacker, rockclimber, and a survivor of sexual violence.

Tagged in: College student, Forensic exam

Drew’s Story

“Living boldly and honestly is how we force places to accept us.”

Drew Perkoski is a student, activist, and a survivor of sexual violence by an intimate partner.

Tagged in: Campus assault, College student, Intimate partner sexual violence, Intimate partner violence, Intimate partner violence/physical abuse, Male survivors

Katherine’s Story

Katherine Gilyard is a journalist, writer, activist, and a survivor of sexual violence. “Being a survivor feeds everything I do.”

Tagged in: Black survivors, Campus assault

Jerome Whitehead is an author, husband, and survivor of multiple childhood sexual assaults. “When you’re groomed, you’re taught to keep secrets. You don’t even realize that you’re being groomed to keep secrets.”

Tagged in: Black survivors, Childhood sexual abuse, Grooming, Male survivors

Nelson’s Story

Nelson Hincapie is a husband, father, Colombian-American, and president and CEO of the Voices For Children Foundation. He is also a survivor of child sexual abuse. “I don’t think it’s talked about at all. I think that for heterosexual men to be abused in their childhood by adult males it is a source of great shame and deep wounds."

Tagged in: Barriers to disclosing, Childhood sexual abuse, Grooming, Latinx survivors, Male survivors, Religion, Seeking justice, Statute of limitations, Substance abuse, Therapy

Kaylee’s Story

Kaylee Conway was sexually abused by an extended family member. As with most children experiencing sexual abuse, she didn’t have the words to understand what was happening at the time. “To me, there was always this elephant in the room. I wanted to talk about it, but didn’t know how. I thought that because they didn’t ask, they didn’t want to talk about it. I blamed a lot of my extended family members for not bringing it up, but I wasn’t ready for that conversation either.”

Tagged in: Barriers to disclosing, Childhood sexual abuse, Giving back, How to support survivors, Incest, Seeking justice, Self-care, Therapy, Writers

Justine’s Story

Justine Baker is a Native American artist, advocate, and survivor of sex trafficking and abuse. “As my descendants come across my name, I don’t want them to come across the horrors I went through. I want them to see this article, and read that I’m a survivor.”

Tagged in: Art, Barriers to disclosing, Childhood sexual abuse, Giving back, Grooming, How to support survivors, Indigenous survivors, Music, NSAH, Outdoors, Seeking justice, Self-care, Teenage survivors, Trafficking, Writers

Dedeker’s Story

Dedeker Winston is an author, relationship coach, podcast host, and survivor of intimate partner violence. “What I want on a T-shirt or maybe my gravestone is the phrase ‘no jerk is worth it.’ You are worth so much more. Every single person is worth so much more than putting up with abusive behavior.”

Tagged in: Abroad, Barriers to disclosing, Depression, Giving back, How to support survivors, Intimate partner violence, Polyamory, PTSD, Suicide, Therapy, Writers

Nicole's Story

Nicole is strongly connected to her Peruvian heritage and is dedicated to her faith community. She is also a survivor of child sexual abuse. “I don’t know if anyone can understand this, but my faith healed me. I just know that I’ll be okay. I’m no longer just trying to survive, life is about living everyday to your greatest potential.”

Tagged in: Anxiety, Barriers to disclosing, Childhood sexual abuse, Depression, Grooming, Incest, Panic attacks, PTSD, Religion, Teenage survivors, Therapy