When I was 19 years old I went on a date. I was set up. A friend of mine was interested in someone but she needed a friend to double with her and his friend. So, I cancelled previous plans and agreed to go. It's that decision that has haunted me for years . It was the last decision I really remember making that night. Unless, of course, you count that one drink. I was underage but, I had drinks before and thought nothing of it. After that one drink I felt like something might be wrong. My friend and I discussed it but we were laughing and wondering how we could possibly be so drunk. It just seemed silly. It was silly until I became absolutely helpless to resist and completely unable to say no to our dates, the men who drugged us. I think you can imagine how the rest of the story goes. I don't have to imagine. I remember all of it.
And the reason I never spoke up? Shame. That's what date rape does. It causes tremendous shame in the victims. I was ashamed because I should have known better, ashamed because I wasn't more careful, ashamed because I couldn't and didn't say no. I was ashamed because I couldn't prove that it happened and ashamed thinking that it was absolutely, truly my fault that it had.
1 in 5 women are survivors of rape (citation). This, sadly, does not surprise me. Many people I know are also survivors. 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men have experienced some form of sexual violence in their lives. Someone you know is a survivor and still needs your help and support.
I say NO MORE because it's time to let go of the shame that I've carried for far too long. It's time to let the shame rest where it truly belongs. For that to happen, we have to make it known. It has to be understood that taking away someone's choice to have sex through drugs or violence is wrong. And, if you think that it's not necessary to speak out in this day and age, just read the news. It's everywhere.
I'm asking you to join me in supporting NoMore.org and their partner organization Joyful Heart Foundation. Please, take a moment to listen to this week's song. You may download it for free along with a lyric pic via the Noise Trade app below or visit http://www.noisetrade.com/lauramarie/everything-is-haunted. Please, consider leaving a tip and sharing it with your friends. 100% of all tips will go to Joyful Heart Foundation. And, please, visit NoMore.org and join their social media thunderclap scheduled for the week of March 17th.
Thank you and much, much love - LM
This week's prompt was: half a mile down
Everything is Haunted
See that girl with the curled pig tales
Watch her world crumble and fail
Closer than a candy store
No further than the bed next door
I don’t want to play here anymore
See that girl with the pale blue jeans
Knows too much of everything
Too far to put up a fight
Too late so she closed her eyes
I don’t want to play here this time
Everything is haunted, ripped and stained
Things I never wanted to feel again
I can’t help but wonder are they ever gone
Everything is haunted I’m running home
See that girl, she’s got those legs
Better built to runaway
Find her half a mile down
Hide and seek then lost, then found
I don’t want to play around
Cause she can’t go back and she won’t go home
Round and around and around she goes
Turns the world into a song
Sings it till the feeling’s gone
I don’t want to play along
Everything is haunted, ripped and stained
Things I never wanted to feel again
I can’t help but wonder are they ever gone
Everything is haunted I’m running home
To rest my head and lay my heart beside
The one who made it safe to close my eyes
The warmest of the waiting arms I’ve known
Hold out for me I’m finally running home
Everything is haunted, ripped and stained
Things I never wanted to feel again
I can’t help but wonder are they ever gone
Everything is haunted I’m running home
See that woman with that man
Loves her any way he can
©LauraMarieMusic 2014
