Thirty-five years after being sexually assaulted while serving in Kuwait, I find myself asking a question that society still seems reluctant to answer: Why are we so concerned about protecting the futures of those accused of sexual violence while overlooking the futures of those who survive it?
Eight years after a rookie mistake, I still think about forgiveness, trust, and whether people should be forever judged by the worst decision they ever made.
Sometimes the places we want to escape to don’t exist. This is a reflection on isolation, sobriety, honesty, and learning to live with the version of yourself that made it through.
We say we believe in second chances—but only until risk, liability, and reality enter the room.
