Cindy is a woman.
Cindy is a poet.
Cindy is a mom.
She is also a survivor. Cindy AnaCaona Peralta is all of those things. Her truth may step on some toes but it’s hers to have. It is hers to speak on. It is hers to share. We all have truths that get pushed beneath our day to day lives. Self-love has brought her to today. Sometimes we can’t find the words to speak our truths. Sometimes the Band-Aid gets ripped off and they spill out in front of everyone. Sometimes it is a prerequisite to our healing. To our forgiving. To our moving on. And to be honest sometimes we are just healing and want to scream to the world…THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME!
This scream started with a Facebook post.
*trigger warning*My kids father held me hostage for 20 hrs while repeatedly raping me in the same room as my 6 month...
Posted by Cindy AnaCaona Peralta on Sunday, January 3, 2016
The Stats
About Victims
- 44% of victims are under age 18
- 80% are under age 30Sexual Assault Numbers
- Learn more victim statistics
- Every 107 seconds, another sexual assault occurs
- There is an average of 293,000 instances (victims age 12 or older) of sexual assault each yearReporting to Police
- Read more sexual assault numbers
- 68% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police
- 98% of rapists will never spend a day in jailAbout Rapists
- Learn more reporting statistics
- Approximately 4/5 of assaults are committed by someone known to the victim
- 47% of rapists are a friend or acquaintance
–https://rainn.org/statistics
While Peralta received a lot of support and positive feedback, she also received her fair share of negative feedback. In a follow-up post she shares one opinion from someone who shared her post:
“Real Grown Folks shared your post.
January 6 at 12:08pm ·
She’s stupid. She lost me with this “tell me how was the system built to protect the black woman” well she dropped the ball on the system process by yes NOT reporting, so technically the system can’t rule based on something that technically didn’t happen if she didn’t report it. His ass would have life if she really wanted the system to protect her. She’s an idiot. Don’t try to play the race card to bring attention to your situation.”
I remember my interview with Tamika Sims where I mentioned the Twitter hashtag #whyIstayed and asked the same of her to which she replied:
“While many women can relate to “Why I Stayed” that’s not the right question. The right question is why he is abusive…” (partial excerpt)
Cindy’s truth struck a cord with many. There are many who don’t tell initially. There are many who NEVER tell. There are also many who don’t survive.
She Did.
When you think about the attic of a home you likely think about a dark, unwelcoming place where things are hidden and stored away from your daily life. As women we pack away alot. We carry alot. We survive alot. Joan T. Randall in her new book, Bags In the Attic, unpacks her lifes journey from abuse. Someone needs to hear her story and find their way to the other side too.
Maleeka Hollaway was trapped in her own decision. At an age where she should have been enjoying her life and discovering herself, she found herself instead running head-on into a relationship and marriage that soon turned abusive. Only until she was divorced and on a journey solo did she find her true purpose and love…
Alexandria Barlowe has encountered obstacles and battled insecurities all of her early life. Then just when she thought love was the lifeline she needed, she found out that what she has out that the relationship that she disguised and remodeled as love really wasn’t it. Once she hit her lowest point, it was then that…
