Victim or Survivor? "I was Raped"

A t-shirt created by Jennifer Baumgardener is forcing people to confront how they feel about rape. The t-shirt sports the words "I was raped" on it and is worn by victims who have survived being raped. The shirt and its slogan are an opportunity for the victims dealing with the scars of the past to proclaim to all what has happened to them. However, the shirt also makes people who have never been raped to recognize the past plights of the person wearing the shirt. It is important to explore the educational impact these t-shirts may have on American society, who should wear the t-shirt, and who may object to the t-shirts being sold.

As a vocal rape victim and survivor, I have learned that many people are more than willing to sweep the effects of being raped under a rug, believing the victim will heal if they do not ever think about it again. They are also likely to believe they do not know anyone who has ever had to deal with sexual abuse and rape. These people are unaware of the statistics of rape in the US. RAINN.org reports 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. The numbers are staggering and will climb until the American people are educated and made aware of the prevalence of sexual assault and rape in the United States. The t-shirt and its slogan will provide tangible, in your face, education to all Americans, in all towns across the US. The wearers will be able to acknowledge publicly what has happened to them, which creates the best education available, personal testimony.

Admittedly, the t-shirt is not for all rape victims. Victims who are still dwelling on the shame of being raped are not good candidates for the public broadcasting of their past. Many raped victims, however, have chosen to let go of the chains of the past and move on towards a better tomorrow. They acknowledge they are a better person today because of surviving the shameful acts forced upon them. They are people who exude confidence in the things they do because they know another human being does not control them. These victims do not see themselves as victims; they look in the mirror and see a survivor!

I theorize most people who object to the t-shirts are victims themselves of a shameful sexual act forced upon them in their past. They are unable to separate the sinful act of another human being from their own shame of allowing the sexual abuse or rape to happen. They are plagued with ghosts from a life ago and have not allowed themselves to heal from the pain of the past. Inside their hearts they are desperate to end the questions and the fears, but they are more afraid of facing the demons of the past than of healing and letting go. Many of these victims were used by the very people who should have cared for them.

I believe the wearing of a t-shirt sporting the words "I was raped" is a personal decision that must be made by the victims themselves. The t-shirt will educate many Americans on the common occurrence of rape in our society. The shirt will also allow survivors of rape an opportunity to talk to others about their experience. Finally, the shirt will force people who have hidden the ghosts of the past to confront the emotions from so long ago. With so much to gain, is there anything to lose? I think not. So I encourage every survivor of rape to proudly wear a shirt that labels you as a survivor, not a victim.

RAINN.org (2008). Statistics|RAINN|Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. RAINN.org