Pandora's Aquarium: Take Back the Night pt 2. - Pandora's Aquarium

Time for part two!. At the end of the whole Take Back the Night event on Friday there was a speaking out portion. I have to say that there was way to many people that got up and spoke. It was heart braking. One of the girls who got up and told her story was only 13. She had been abused by her uncle and her cousin who she lived with since she was six. And then to make it even worse she was abused by her foster sister afterwards. Another girl told us about how she was abused by her brother when she was a child. She then added onto her story by telling us how her brother went to our school. She told us his name but I found myself thinking that she shouldn't do that. But then I realized by thinking that she shouldn't name his name I was going along with society. The idea that the girl or boy should just go along with it and move on and that pointing the finger wasn't nice but that only protects the criminal. So i'm glad she told us. There was another guy who got up and told us how he was gang raped by 5 men 10 years ago at the University that we were all attending in the dorms. It was so bad I started crying. Me the girl who never cries and is able to hold everything back. Each story felt like it was pulling a little bit more at your soul because you knew exactly what they had gone through. But it was also rewarding in a sad way because you were able to connect with everyone around you on a soul level. I finally pulled up the courage and looked at my friend next to me and asked her to go up there with me. As soon as I went there I choked up. I was so scared and I couldn't talk with out crying. I had to take a second to collect myself. I surged through it just trying to hold back the tears and keep my voice steady. At one point I told the people how my mother responded to me telling her and I heard audible gasps from the crowd. I totally messed up my story though. And the more I think about it the more I am upset at myself for not telling exactly what happened but I keep reminding myself that it is okay. That I still got the point across and that is what matters. But it was so hard. When I walked off stage one of the ladies came straight to me and gave me the biggest hug and even as I type this I just want to cry and the sadness of it all but the relief of telling. It has given me strength and I hope that I can do this again to help out others. I have to say though that even though I had great friends there to support me I wish that I had a boyfriend or a girlfriend there to lean on and hold me close but some of my friends helped me out with that a little.:] I didn't let myself cry on their shoulder or cry on them at all but there support meant a lot. Specially there hugs and their support. It was definitely a life changing experience.