To the Girl in Missouri Who Was Attacked At School

**possible trigger warning.**

Hey there,

I don't know your name (and because of how hateful people are, I am quite glad that who you are hasn't made the media-you've had enough awful stuff from people for at least 2 lifetimes), but I do know we have a few things in common:
-We're both women/girls/otherwise female
-We're both disabled
-We've both been maltreated
-We've both had people with power fail us miserably

There are some things that you probably aren't hearing enough of.

It wasn't your fault. Nothing you could possibly have done warranted rape, or being forced to apologize to a rapist, or being assaulted, or being expelled, or being raped again. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

You did the right thing. The right thing is really hard to do, because women are too often deemed responsible for bad shit that happens to us, and disabled people are too frequently viewed as not real people. That is a load of crap-you have every right to expect to be treated right. Reporting may have been the most difficult thing you'll ever do, the fallout has sure sucked, but it was the right thing. Even if you didn't know how brave it was at the time, it was courageous. Not just because you are a kid and have a disability, but because it takes a strong person to stand up for herself.

A large number of the adults in your life utterly failed you. There is no excuse, none at all. It seems like your mom is fighting pretty hard for you, but that the people at your school are fighting back, and that's disgusting really. There is nothing you did to deserve how they are handling this. Nothing, nothing, nothing. In your place I'd feel that there was nothing the school could do to make it better, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't try.

There are a lot of people out here who are outraged by your treatment. We are on your side. Some of us are women, some of us are rape survivors, some of us have disabilities, and some of us are just people who are horrified and outraged by what you've been put through. You have allies, even if you don't know us and we don't know you. WE ARE ON YOUR SIDE, and we are hoping that you get justice, and we are hoping that you are ok. We are hoping that you get what you need to thrive as you continue growing up.

In support and solidarity,

Neurodivergent K