Every one near, listen!  

And hear,

I've got a topic up for discussion,

that will make some of you start blushin'

My topic is rape and sexual assault--

now hold on before you begin to insult!

Yeah, I know what you're thinking...

Just another woman, right? Another pathetic, crying, plight?

Would you have said that to my 13 year old self after the attack?

"No wait really!  She's just another maniac!"

"What were you wearing?  What did you say?"  

Just another way to say the rape was ok.

"What were you doing out so late at night?"

 I didn't realize I'd be putting up a fight!

I could go into detail about what he did!

The stink of his skin, the crudeness of his hands, the force of body that left me breathless in pain...

But, wait... who should I kid?

This is a story you probably want to abstain.

Because nobody wants to hear my story of hurt,

every just wants to advert.

Am I making some of you uncomfortable?

Good!  Cause this is how rape feels: horrible!

I was told it was my fault for most of my life,

and this led me to my internal strife.

Anger, hate, anxiety and cutting,

all the while I just kept "shutting".

Do you know what it's like for me now?

I look in the mirror everyday and ask, "how?"

How am I going to make it through another day?

I'll just tell myself "I'll be ok".

How am I going to handle a relapse?

It's simple my dear, just "relax"...

But I'm not ok, and I can't relax,

cause people still use women and rape for laughs!

Is it still funny when it's your mother, sister, or daughter?

Or will you peg them like an animal to the slaughter?

Will you ask them what they wore,

and assume they were acting like a "whore"?

Or if they looked away from their drink,

for even just a blink?

I have something you need to understand,

rape is wrong, and it burns like a brand.

The invisible scars no one can see,

are deeply engrained within others like me.

We are told to "hide" and "it was a mistake",

then why are we expected to deal with the ache?

I hear rape jokes, and excuses for the stunt,

using words like "she was a slut/whore/cunt".

Other excuses like "boys will be boys",

make me feel like we're nothing but simple play toys.

Remember next time before you laugh at a joke about assault,

cause you're only verifying "it was all the victims fault".

And the next time you justify someones actions by saying "she was hoe",

think of your sisters and remember... No means no.