And the guilt of just being a woman. Whether she reports the assault or not, she is convinced that, somehow, everyone knows. Healing comes only when she can recover trust in herself, when she can love herself again, when she is strong enough to reach out to heal others. All of my warnings didn't inoculate my daughter against rape. Still, I try to make my youngest daughter, who's now 17, understand that no place is ever truly safe for a woman.
Rape can happen anytime, anyplace, anywhere.
I hope she hears me. Kaneshia Coren Pinckney Missing from Silver Spring, Md., since July 7, 2000. Inc. All rights reserved.