We've struggled and said "no"

Made our boundaries crystal clear

We've given in submissively

To alleviate without consent our fear

We no longer know who we are

Our identities have gone astray

We struggle with our memories

Willfully wishing them away

A sudden touch can trigger us

We never forget the violations

We're startled by sudden sounds

Sometimes into dissociation

We're not sure how to trust

We generally feel insecure

We're always second-guessing

Of our own decisions we're unsure

We battle with self-blame and guilt

Though it isn't ours to assume

We try to get on with normal lives

By our flashbacks we're entombed

It's hard to reach out for any support

We often end up feeling invalidated

When we finally open up to someone

And they think our stories are fabricated

The support we seek often not found

We develop coping methods in secret

Self harm; drugs; alcohol; eating disorders

Attempts to control, attempts to forget

Some of us reported our experiences

Forced to relive them in the process

Which may or may not bring justice

Helping or hindering emotional progress

Those of us who chose not to report

We're scared or we don't see a reason

We have no proof, we've been threatened

The thought provokes emotional depletion

We feel like a burden to loved ones

A frustrating annoyance to savvy friends

To forgive or resent our attackers, ourselves?

A straightforward answer this question transcends

We are our own worst critics

So there is no need for yours

Our own minds abuse themselves

We fight our own inner wars

Rape is hardly the way non-victims imagine

It's not as simple as black and white

There is a freeze response unknown

In addition to the responses "Fight or Flight"

There isn't always a way to get out

Sometimes there's really no escape

Fighting can be quite pointless

And only exacerbate the rape

Despite popular belief we're not stupid

The way we dress has no actual effect

Conclusions society comes to of us

Not only insulting - but routinely incorrect

Some of us were babies, innocent children

When we were victimized by those liable

Many of us were simply caught off-guard

Finding ourselves in situations unjustifiable

We had no reason to believe at the time

That we shouldn't get off that bus, that train

How were we supposed to see in advance

That we shouldn't trust James, Jo, or Jane?

It isn't fair that we're the ones judged

While those who hurt us rarely feel remorse

We're victimized, violated and then blamed

For the vulnerable part of us taken by force.