I’m on a mission to create safer communities for women and children. By telling my story about gender-based violence, sexual assault and rape I aim to inspire conversations about what most deem too confronting with the goal to end rape culture so that other people don’t have to experience what I did.

I was sexually abused at 6, raped by a friend at 21 and again at 24.

I want to challenge attitudes that perpetuate the sexual abuse of children and sexual violence against women and inspire others to do the same because we are letting each other down. We can do better. If we’re braver. If we dig deep into our empathy and lean into our own vulnerabilities.

Young people are being left out of this conversation. “Not age appropriate,” they say. Men and boys are being left out this conversation. “It’s a woman issue,” they say. And then it’s too late. 

Children have been abused. Young boys have become rapists. Men have become murderers of their spouses. Paedophiles get away with their crimes. Women have been killed. Girls have been raped. Families and communities destroyed. Institutions failing the people they serve to support.

When does it end?

It’s time to take responsibility.