8/26/2026

I’ve liked our conversations because she doesn’t get emotional

Her affect doesn’t really change and she doesn’t soften her voice for me

She lets me feel strong and empowered regardless of what I’m sharing

She uses humor to keep me from leaving

…I got offended

It’s not the first time someone has suggested I join a support group

She started the conversation by listing all the support groups I qualified for.

Because of my experiences, I was “eligible to join any of them!”- Joke

But then her tone became more firm as she suggested I join a different kind of group…

One no one has ever said to me

I felt instantly betrayed

How could she say that to me?!

I shared images from the movies playing in my head

The stills that resurfaced

Only drops of the ocean in my head

I’ve done all I can to run from the feelings of shame and disgust

I needed to numb myself

I needed to play stupid

These feelings would confirm the very label she was giving those experiences…

“That’s not what it was!”

“That didn’t happen to ME!”

“It wasn’t MY body!”

These thoughts followed the rage

She wasted no time in calling it out

It took so much for me to open the vault…

And she labeled it, exploitation…