Teen Perspective
These articles about teen issues were written by student journalists and appeared in the Chronicle, the newspaper of Barron Collier High School, Naples, Florida.
A true account by Valerie C.
On a normal Sunday night of a three-day weekend my life changed forever.
I was a sophomore; he was a senior I barely knew. He lived near me, so that night we decided to just hang out. We were just watching TV in his house, with his brother. Then his brother decided to leave, and we were alone.
I had been told not to be in houses alone with older guys before, but I thought nothing of it at the time. Suddenly he kissed me. I didn't know how to react so I moved away, but he wouldn't accept that. He pulled off my shorts as I attempted to fight him off. There was nothing I could do. Even my 5ft 9in frame was powerless under the body and determination of an eighteen year old boy.
I continued to say no, and he ultimately stopped, nearly as soon as he began. I immediately gathered my things, and then he walked me home. He even told me that I was still a virgin and I had nothing to worry about. I was so disgusted that I threw up. And then I forgot about it, or at least I tried.
I called my best friend the next day, and she did nothing. She didn't know what to say I assume, but she completely blew me off. Whatever you do, don't be her. If a friend comes to you with drastic news, DO SOMETHING! Immediately.
I then waited. Since she didn't react, I didn't tell anyone else, until I thought I was pregnant. I told my other best friend, but by this point it had been four weeks, and she knew what to say. She took me to see my guidance counselor, and I talked about it. I told her the entire story, and she made me tell my parents.
The strange thing is that they really didn't react. They told me that they would support me if I wanted to press charges, but they didn't urge me to do that. They were uncomfortable discussing it with me, and ultimately we stopped talking about it. But I was not over it.
I still saw him everyday at school, which I could deal with, unless he talked to me or I saw him dating someone as young as me. I was still scared of him.
As it turned out I was not pregnant and I had nothing else wrong. My counselor suggested that I go to therapy or counseling, and then I discovered that the group met in a secret location (which was changed week to week), and the victim herself had to call to find out where it was.
I talked about going with my Dad, but he thought that if women were too scared to tell where they met, they had obviously not dealt with the crimes against them. I agreed and the subject of therapy was dropped.
I have now dealt with what happened to me, but I will readily admit that writing this article has been difficult. But I feel that it is important to share this experience with the high school community. I want everyone to know that it does happen. Everyday.
If it has happened to you, tell someone, and it if has happened to one of your friends, do the right thing and make them tell an adult. Do not keep it to yourself.
I hope that other people will listen to this first-hand account and learn from it. I was only fourteen and he was eighteen, so if I had told immediately he would have gone to jail. Don't do what I did. Tell, for the other girls out there and for your own mental health.
Inquiries? Please contact Dr. Jami Jones