Stories

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Thank you for joining our We-Speak community. Together we have shared and read stories 63,725 times. Thank you for helping create a wave of change.

267

267 supporters thanked a survivor for sharing their story.

72

72 visitors found stories that made them feel hopeful.

88

88 visitors found stories and experiences they can relate to.

465

465 supporters shared a message with a survivor that they are not alone.
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On this page are stories shared by survivors that highlight hope but can also be hard to read. A grounding activity can help you to feel calm and make it easier to read these stories. Do you want to try one of our grounding activities?

Imagine an Ending

What is now won't be forever

An Exploited Friendship.

Sharing and seeking help will do more good for you than you’ll see or feel for a long time. People are genuinely here to help, you’ll be surprised who has similar stories.

I still hear and feel his breathing. In my ear, number years later. He is still a Bouncer in popular City bars.

I have found huge comfort in sharing my story with other survivors. More women go through these trauma’s than you think. We’re all just scared that we’re too broken, too much. But we are not. We were violated. We lost our freedom and rights. We were forced on in the most vulnerable of places. That doesn’t go away. Still a number years on from when I was raped the first time I still struggle to talk about it. a numberyears on from being sexually assaulted and I haven’t told anyone about it. I’ve gone to the Rape Crisis Centre countl...

Women are powerful, find your voice

Healing is finding my voice. No longer being afraid to share my story and be listened too.
Holding in those feelings and thoughts, what happened to you is never the best way to heal. Find your voice and I promise you’ll be heard.

“Healing to me means that all these things that happened don’t have to define me.”

They saw me deeper, but we all know them better now.

There's always more fight left in you. Hope is your guidance. You are not alone, it's never too late and you will be believed!

We were friends.

We were friends. That is what I told him when he tried to kiss me when I was drunk. He smiled and said he understood.
We were friends. That is what I told him when I agreed to sleep off the alcohol at his as he insisted it wasn't safe for me to walk home. I felt a sense of relief and comfort when he smiled and said he understood.

Me Too Taxi Driver

It can help when others get justice.

Normalise sexual assualt

There is always light at the end of the tunnel. There is always hope as "hope is a thing with feathers." There is help out there and there is always someone willing to listen. Things always get better in the end, there is so much more to look forward to. You are not your past trauma. There is a future out there, waiting.

I never thought I had to be wary of women.

I'm trying not to judge myself and be kind to myself and to not blame myself. What would I say to a friend? I try to say that to myself.

“We believe you. Your stories matter.”

AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN....IT WAS NOT

You as a Survivor are incredible. Only you know what your story is like. No body understands what it is truely like unless they have experienced it themselves. You are not alone. Other Survivors understand you better.Stay strong always and never let anyone discredit your story.

A date to always remember but never forget

Each year it crashes in like the waves beating the stand.
It brings a swirl of emotion and feelings unbeknownst to my fragile mind.
My body seises as it struggles to stay afloat.
I gasp as the sharp prickly water traps my body,
unable to move,
but only to breathe,

The title of the story is: Stare the Stalker Down

Absolutely. If my story is of help to anyone or anyone needs to share their story with me, I would be so happy if anything helps. I survived that part of my life and am working on the other parts.

#781

What happened was not your fault. You deserve to be speak and be heard.

Stalked by a professional in Ireland

Speak up and speak out about your experiences and you will be amazed at the outpouring of support you will receive. And above all, never give up.

“Healing is different for everyone, but for me it is listening to myself...I make sure to take some time out of each week to put me first and practice self-care.”

Saoirse ; Freedom

You've got this! You are unbelievably strong and you are not alone!

#708

Just know that it was never your fault for what happens. You are strong and deserve to be happy in who you are.

Fearless

You have a strength in you to fight .
The best revenge is not letting him have a hold on your future.

Liberation

There is always light at the end of the tunnel - guaranteed.
Never give up.
Your victory story will help others. You have a purpose.
In my darkest days I wish someone told me this.
You are worthy.

a voice

When I was 23, after having lost my father to cancer and moving into my first home as a single parent, I was "sexually assaulted" by my uncle who was now one of my neighbours. It was what was possibly deemed a harmless move by him, a drunken misunderstanding where he accidentally but forcefully stuck his tongue in my mouth while consoling me on my loss. The weight of him pressing me into the sofa of my new home. My new place of safety.

“I have learned to abound in the joy of the small things...and God, the kindness of people. Strangers, teachers, friends. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it, but there is good in the world, and this gives me hope too.”

Survivor

Things can get better. You will never fully forget what happened to you, but you will grow around your trauma. It will never disappear, but it doesn't have to have a happy life.

#681

It’s never easy, but you learn to be okay again. Trust the process.

#682

I was sexually assaulted while living abroad for college. I did not accept what had happened to me for some months and allowed my life to spin out of control. I am doing better for myself now and picking up the pieces after having accepted the reality. But I am finding it harder and harder to process and work though the thought of memories of the incident. It feels like im taking one step forward and two steps back. Luckily I have people who I confided in but I feel like asking to talk about it is too much to ask.

Month

If you think you may have been assaulted you probably have. Take time to deal with it don’t brush it off. It is not the new normal.

Don't give up

Do not ever give up. I have got this far and u can too. The weaker and more vulnerable I feel the more God can shine His light through me and on to other people. I am 56 now but finally starting to really live my life through the power might and gentleness of my God who has saved me. I am His child. I am beautiful in His eyes. He loves me so much and sends me people who really care about me. He can save you too no matter how lost u think u are.

“These moments in time, my brokenness, has been transformed into a mission. My voice used to help others. My experiences making an impact. I now choose to see power, strength, and even beauty in my story.”

678

It does get better. It doesn’t mean it will happen again. There is still love and joy in the world, even after it all. It just might take time to see it.

Dear reader, the following story contains language of self-harm that some may find triggering or discomforting.

#676

You are more than your trauma.

11:11

I was assualted, sexual assualted by a man I trusted, who I looked up to. I was 21 at the time, modeling, doing shoots, stepping into the modeling industry.
Little did I know how dark things would get. These women who would stand by these abusers. He groped me from behind and touched me sexually on a shoot. I froze, I couldn't say anything. Couldn't process what was happening. He drove me home, told me to play with myself and let him watch. I ignored his requested and he told me if his wife found out, she'd die from the stress (she was sick a...

#672

You can use this to be your motivator. You can use this rock bottom to show how far you can really push yourself and go. You can take back your life.
Journaling changed my life and so did therapy. Three years after it has happened and I can honestly say if I could take back what happened I wouldn’t because I learned just how strong I am. Spirituality helped me a lot to feel clean again and I used it to get me where I am today. There is hope I promise.

Autistic voice

I've a lot of healing to do. Starting with counselling to try understand everything and why it wasn't all my fault.

If you are reading this, you have survived 100% of your worst days. You’re doing great.

Healing Can and Does Happen!

Don't give up on you. Healing can and does happen. With practice and dedication to your own healing you can recover from the trauma of sexual violence. I have learned so much about myself. I am proud of the woman that I am. I am proud that I never gave up on me and I hope that those who take the time to read this piece don't ever give up on themselves. You are worthy. You are deserving of support, care and of love. You matter. You are enough!

Safety Exit

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