not everyone who has been sexually assaulted immediately recognizes that is what happened to them. it can take days or weeks or even years for someone to realize what happened to them was not okay. believe victims rather than questioning why it took so long for them to speak up.

it can be so hard to process an assault for many reasons, and time can make it even harder for victims to come forward. there have been instances in my life that i never publicized because it took a year of therapy to realize it was in fact assault. that doesn’t make it invalid.

to question someone coming forward about sexual assault with “why didn’t you say something sooner”/demanding proof is what makes victims scared to come forward after any amount of time, the cycle continues and more people get hurt. stop challenging victims. shut up and listen.

if you are a survivor, i hear you, i see you, you are valid and loved. you are not alone. https://www.rainn.org/after-sexual-assault