Hey, Daisy I just read about your story in the news. When I learned about the circumstances of your rape, it hit very close to home. When I was fourteen, I was molested by my ninth grade Algebra teacher. I did not tell anybody for four years because I feared that I would receive the same reactions from people that you yourself received. Unfortunately my fears were very accurate.I come from a small Moron community in Oakley,Idaho. My perpetrator was a religious leader in our church, and many people refused to believe that he had committed the horrendous act of which I was accusing him. So, instead of laying the blame where it should have been, some people choose to blame me for the incident. The  explanations for it being my fault varied. Some reasoned that because I was fourteen, I was more accountable for what had happened than he because he was a sick old man. Others said that I must be making it up to get attention, or to punish the teacher for not giving me an A in his class. Whatever the reasoning, the media, in particular construed my character immensely. Although my case went to jury trial, my perpetrator was declared not guilty due to insufficient evidence. The week following my trial a woman from the community wrote a vicious article in the local newspaper, which derailed not only on me, but also my family. The most hurtful line in the article went as follows, "This young lady will be known as a troublemaker and a liar for the remainder of her life, in the town she grew up in. To all of us, she is nothing more than that." Shortly following, my  father was demoted from his position in the church. There were times when I felt so unloved I wanted to end my very life. However, through the process I soon realized that there were far more people who believed me and supported me in comparison to those who did not. Unfortunately, because ignorant and uneducated people oftentimes make the most noise, and are the most eager to hurt the innocent, it oftentimes seems as though there are more people who don't support you than who do. Through my research, I have discovered that the majority of people think that rape is wrong under all circumstances, and believe that the victim is never to blame. Remember this. There are some stupid people out there, but far more people who are sensible and logical and who believe that you are an innocent survivor. This knowledge has gotten me through some of my most difficult times. I am not pretending to understand what you have gone through, because I have never walked in your shoes. However, I do know that you are a very strong person, and that you cannot give up because there are thousands of girls looking up to you.

Anna