Your UnSlut Project

Submitted by @readergrl210

I'm fourteen years old and I've already been sexually harassed. If you had asked me four months ago if I thought I would be, I'd laugh in your face.

I went to a three weeks long sleepaway camp this summer. While I was there, I met a really nice guy (let's call him Cole). I really liked him. There was a dance, and we hung out there together. Before long, we had exchanged numbers.

The second week we were there, he and I spent practically every spare moment together. We ate breakfast together, texted into the wee hours of the morning, and hung out constantly. If we weren't in class or activities we were together. Typically. Our friends started shipping us. It was annoying, but what can ya do?

Now, being the hormonal teens we were, eventually our conversations turned sexual. It started as a joke, but it wasn't funny. For me, anyways. But I didn't have the heart to tell him to stop. We went to the second dance together (he actually asked me and I said yes). During one of the slow dances he pulled me close and...well...pressed against me. And not in a good way. That night was the same night that he kissed me.

I didn't think anything of it at the time, but then Tuesday came, the day he took things too far.

It was the last week of camp. Activities, class cramming, and fun to the extremes. Cole had gotten more comfortable touching me in public. He would press against my side, sometimes even place his hand on my knee.

We ate breakfast together and at one point, he reached under the table and put his hand down my pants. It hurt, and I laughed and brushed him off. But then he grabbed my hand and shoved it down his pants. In my surprise I grabbed him, and then quickly pulled my hand out. That same day, I got sick from a "stomach ache." I found out the next day that it was a UTI (urinary tract infection).

While I was sick my ex-boyfriend asked me out. I said yes, and later that week I was able to say no to Cole during a conversation he had forced me into by saying he would kiss me in front of everyone (something that was very much against the rules of the camp).

I kept quiet and didn't say anything about what happened because I was embarrassed. It wasn't until he was acting like a dick in public that I finally said something. And I'm glad I did; he was forbidden from speaking to me and we haven't spoken since.

I know my story isn't as terrible as some, and it's not so much bullying as harassment. But I want to share my experiences to tell girls that you shouldn't keep quiet about something you don't feel comfortable with. If you don't tell the actual person doing the action (which you should), then tell an adult. There's a saying I use: use your words, walk away, or tell an adult. It's worked so far. But please please please speak up. I did, and I feel way better. I know you will too. I'm not ashamed of my story anymore.