Learning how to write sentences again
Recently, I’ve been reflecting on how I choose to communicate—why I hold my tongue, or why I let it run. This past weekend, it occurred to me that there was no reason why I was holding onto a specific piece of information that’s caused me rage for three years. Thus, I took to Instagram and divulged the name of the student who, in my freshman year, attempted to assault me. That part of me was already stained, but this divulgence could help protect others from him. Once, I feared that Duke would strike back at me if I ever spoke publicly about it, because the university is notoriously terrible at handling sexual misconduct cases. However, this is an all-too-common tragedy that goes beyond this university—what happened to me could have happened to anyone, anywhere. When institutions fail to protect us (which is often), I’ve learned that sometimes, you have to rely on good people.