To my boyfriend,

Thank you for sticking by me through it all. For cradling me when I had nightmares. For cuddling me when I was crying. For letting me sleep when the day was just too physically exhausting. For listening to me. For understanding. For holding your anger in and letting it out when I'm not around. For your compassion

I can't thank you enough for what you have done for me through this tough time. You stuck by me and you were my shoulder to cry on. You were there for me in one of the hardest times of my life.

I am a rape survivor and my boyfriend was upset with me after I told him what happened. He was confused, I was confused. It happened with my friend, my supervisor on a fun night drinking. How did it happen? Why didn't I say no? Obviously, I wanted it. These were the toughest questions, the hardest time because my person didn't understand how I just froze in shock. How I couldn't tell him right away because I didn't really know how to.

But, he eventually understood. Because of that, I consider him a rape survivor as well.

He didn't go through it, but he was there every step of the way afterward. He saw all of the trauma it had and he always supported my decisions. At first, I didn't want anyone to know. I just quit my job, where my rapist was my supervisor, and forget it ever happened. I pretended it didn't happen, the symptoms were still there. Days where I slept for way too long, days where I would wake up because of nightmares; those were the harder days yet he was still there. They were traumatizing.

Every day was a mental health day and my boyfriend was there for them all: Comforting me, telling me how proud he was, how I am not a victim, how I am a survivor.

He did his research. He understood to the best of his ability. When I finally decided to press charges, he was there every step of the way by asking questions every time I did anything related to the process and updates.

He pushed me while being compassionate and I could never thank him enough for that.