Under Construction - MHWA Retreat

Thank you, Shh...whisper, MHWAmember . I'm close to my dad and he knew right away something bad happened. Before my dad became a sheriff for the county we live in, he worked with rape victims. I didn't tell my dad until three days later, but he gently questioned me about that night before I came fully out. My British friend said I should talk to my dad since at that point I was in a lot of pain and I needed help. My dad said, "Yes, I figured that is what happened to you." He urged me to go talk to the detective of the county it happened in, my mom didn't want me to tell anyone. She didn't want me to go to authorities. My dad never raises his voice, but he did so in this instance, "Jessica, you will go and report this crime! What happened to you was a crime and it will be treated as such." I was going to anyway. Dad did say that the detective's response is not uncommon, unfortunately.

It's funny that I remember more of the crap that happened in the aftermath and I don't really recount the kind people. I was working a paid internship at the time and I told my manager, one co-worker I was close to, and the co-worker I was close to came with me to report the crime to campus police, to the counseling session and she walked me to the health centre for my exam. I've been in anger mode for the past four years; trying to get a decent paying job and moving hasn't worked out as I planned and it's a very slow process; I lost her friendship in that anger process. I regret that because she did a lot for me. Even my library job let me take time off and they didn't fire me despite all the mood issues. I still have a few friends in this area despite everything too.