Kira White

Recently I went to an event organized by a survivor of sexual assault whose purpose is to support other survivors. The cruel irony: An event for helping people heal after their consent has already been violated… didn’t practice informed consent. What?

I’ve been sexually assaulted by three people. To this day, all of them think that they are good people. And you know what? With the exception of one of them, I agree.

If I trust you enough to tell my story,

Please don’t tell me this is normal.

Don’t remind me it happens every day,

In every city, in every state.

Triggers are a normal, common aspect of being a survivor of sexual assault and other traumas. They’re difficult to deal with and often feel entirely out of our control. Even years later, triggers can have a strong effect on survivors, but loved ones can make a huge difference. If you know someone who is a survivor, learning to help them cope with triggers is one of the most helpful things you can do.

Triggers are one of the hardest parts about being a survivor of sexual assault (or any other trauma). It’s not possible to avoid all triggers, so what can you do when you come across one?

Trigger warning: descriptions of sexual assault and triggers 

Yesterday my boyfriend playfully touched the side of my ribs during a conversation.