Ruthie's Powerful Message
Written By - Ruthie Lynn
Everyone has their own story or reasoning for why they do something in life. Some are short while others are long and complex. I was the victim of sexual harassment from age 10-14 while attending middle school. The harrassment was both emotional and physical and had a profound effect on my life.
When I graduated from middle school I finally escaped my attacker, but not the effects of what had been done to me. I gained a lot of weight and became very self-conscious of my appearance. I wore extra baggy clothes to try and hide my weight, and cover the development of my chest. I avoided various things other girls my age were doing like; wearing skirts and dresses, learning about make-up, and various other forms of socialization. I did participate in some activities like mountain bike racing and cheerleading, but only to try and "fit in" and feel accepted. I was 22 before I even started to learn about makeup and applying eye liner.
I will soon be 24 and and it's been a long and difficult journey but I'm making progress and coming to terms with what happened to me.