Hands of Harvard: ‘I am rediscovering the problem of sexual assault’

‘I get nervous in situations that I did not used to be nervous in before’

Hands of harvard

Disclaimer: The ideas presented below are true and unadulterated testimonies from people at Harvard. All information presented is based on their personal opinions and views. Their identities have been kept confidential and all information is anonymous. If you are a friend or loved one of the interviewee and are able to recognize their identity, please respect the confidentiality of these intimate posts. It is possible that some information presented will be challenging, controversial, or triggering. If you are going to participate in the comment section, please be mindful of the emotions of the interviewees who have so graciously opened up for this project.

“Coming from a small town in a rural area, I was always of the mindset that, in terms of sexual assault and poor relationships, yes I saw it as a problem, but I thought that the way to get over it is to function as you normally would. So basically, don’t acknowledge the problem and somehow overcome it at the same time… But after coming to Harvard, I realize that this approach is not actually a solution. In a way, I am rediscovering the problem of sexual assault and what it means. I notice myself becoming more aware. And the awareness has some negative consequences – I get nervous in situations that I did not used to be nervous in before, like walking by myself at night. But now I want to be as involved as possible because this issue is so important. The students here have opened my eyes a lot to this issue and they have been a major factor in increasing my awareness. Now I am realizing that shifting the conversation towards figuring out the reason why this all happens is very important.”

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