Why I've started this blog

I'm scared to death of what is going to happen next week. The trial against my rapist is supposed to start next Wednesday. My rapist also happens to be my uncle, making the number of familial supporters I have very low. It also means my very own grandmother or aunt could be there to testify in his defense. This has only managed to heighten my anxiety.

In the vast amount of time leading up to this trial I have been looking for reassurances in the form of other survivors' accounts of prosecuting their rapists and have found very little aside from vague stories where the point is if the perpetrator was found guilty or innocent. It's comforting to see stories where the perpetrator is found guilty of course, but it didn't really give me an idea of what I was getting myself into. So, I thought I could provide that which I was looking for, and this is it.

Things I wish I had known when reporting my rape; and my journey to justice.