Dear Survivors of Larry Nassar,

Thank you for coming forward. It takes courage and bravery to tell your piece of this controversy. I couldn't imagine how it must've felt to relive an occurence that will never be wiped away from your memory. It must be a traumatic time period for you all. Just know that I'm here for each and every one of you.

To me, you're not 144 victims. To me, you're not statistics of sexual assault. You're survivors; warriors. You have names, feelings, emotions, and identities. You're strong, amazing, and resilient. Because of your contribution, you were able to expose monsters like Larry Nassar and have him be put to justice. Judge Aquilina secured your safety when she sentenced him to 175 years.

It's not your fault. I believe in every single one of you; I pray for all of you; I stand by you. No woman or man should ever have to experience the horror of sexual assault. Nobody should live in fear that it may happen to them. Although this was a terrible event, know that God gives his hardest battles to the strongest people. Tough times don't last - tough people do.

I hope that you begin to heal, and that you live the rest of your life with a weight lifted off of your shoulders. May the anxiety calm; the tears stop flowing; the sleepless nights be filled with slumber again; the smile come back in your eyes. The first step in recovering is sharing your story to educate others. You may feel that you might not ever feel normal again, but time heals all wounds - even gruesome ones such as this.

As a student of Michigan State University, I am utterly disappointed and frustrated that our institution was silent. I'm appalled that people in authority allowed this devil continue to be in medical practice. I don't support those who didn't speak up when one person came forward. Because of this, they enabled the predator instead of getting help for the victims. I can't believe that Michigan State would even think about covering this up because it completely disobeyed its own ethics.

These series of events is a prime example of how screwed up of a society we have. We blame the victims instead of the perpetrator. We tell women to take "preventive measures" so that we don't get assaulted instead of telling men to not do it in the first place. People ignore the fact that if the person you're involved with doesn't/can't give consent, it's rape. Brock Turner should never have been able to step foot outside of a prison, but he was unscathed with only a 3 month sentence because we live in a patriarchy.

I apologize that this is what life threw at you. You didn't deserve it. I couldn't imagine what it must feel like. It must feel like someone ripped your heart out of your chest, cut your vocal cords, then threw a grenade at you. Every touch must be poisonous because you compare it to when he touched you. Trusting people is completely out of the question. Hostility and coldness are your best friends. It's better to wear a resting bitch face in public than a smile.

To those that may have been sexually assaulted by Larry Nassar and didn't come forward, I empathize with you. Coming forward is overwhelming and terrifying. Just know that you're not alone, and that you shouldn't be treated any differently than those who stepped into the spotlight. It's a personal choice to be anonymous, and sometimes it's the best option after looking at the cards in your hand.

I want to assure you that being sexually assaulted doesn't strip you of your femininity. Being sexually assaulted doesn't make you any less of a woman than anyone else. In fact, it makes you even more of one. What makes a woman a woman is being able to persist through adversity, no matter how big or small. Strength is a virtue.

You are not defined by what happened to you. Unfortunately, sometimes there isn't an answer as to why. This experience will always be part of you because you can't control it, but everything that happens in your life has a lesson along with it. You are still you. You're going to grow through what you go through.

I am outraged that something like this is a reality. I have family members and friends who were sexually assaulted, and the pain that it's caused them is none like any other. I wish I could have been there to stop it from happening. I wish I could alleviate them from their suffering. Someone near and dear to me would still be alive if it weren't for this.

As a woman, I shouldn't be told what I can and can't wear. As a woman, I shouldn't have to carry pepper spray around. As a woman, I shouldn't be scared to walk around at night, regardless of the time or the day of the week. As a woman, I shouldn't have to be subjected to unnecessary catcalling. As a woman, I shouldn't have to know how to physically harm someone that wants to hurt me.

May there be a day where sexual assault isn't a common occurrence. May there be a day where it's completely unacceptable. May there be a day where any disgusting individual that commits it is tried and pays the price. It's a nightmare that we can't wake up from, but all we can do is strive to end sexual assault and the stigma behind it.

Again, thank you all for your ferocity. Continue to fight back against the patriarchy. Never ever stop the contestation. This fire will spread and burn the evil. It will silence those who thought they could silence you. Your voices rise above all.

Thank you once again. You're survivors, not victims.