Ana Reyes, age 19

California

“No Means No”

No.

A word men seem to never understand. You didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Even though I was kicking and screaming no, you still threw me over your shoulder, pulled up my dress, and slapped my ass. You drunkenly laughed, thinking it was funny to violate and humiliate me. It took my friends and your friends to put me down. You are so lucky I never saw you again.

You also didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Even though I said I just wanted to be friends. You bought me Khalid tickets for my birthday and you knew he was my favorite artist at the time. At the end of the night you leaned in for a goodbye kiss because I would be leaving for college soon. I said ‘no’ yet you went for it anyways. I immediately got out of the car and went inside my house. As a result, you told everyone at my work I was just messing with your emotions. I thought you changed after you texted me a couple months later. You ended up in New Mexico for your tournament so I showed you around a bit. After the next day, he never talked to me again just because I wasn’t able to make it to your match even though I went to the one the day before.

Shocker. You also didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. You continued to keep me trapped in your car until I was on the verge of tears and was about to honk the horn to get someone’s attention. Anyone’s attention. Only then did you release me and let me out of your car.

Rewind to that night, young naïve me thought it would be a good idea to go out with some friends to enjoy our last days together. I must have caught your attention somehow because you came over and asked me for my Snapchat. You somehow convinced me to go make out in his car, oh silly me. That is not the girl I am. Why would I go with him? “Come home with me, come home with me,” you kept whispering in my ear. Repeatedly I kept telling him no. I didn’t want to. At that point, the only thing going through my mind was that I needed to get myself out of this situation before it is too late. Then he started saying, “Then suck my dick.” Again, I said ‘no’ but that didn’t stop you from continuously asking for an explanation as to why I wouldn’t’. You went to put your hand up my skirt and then I started to panic. I noticed the door was unlocked so I opened it and told him I had to go. He slammed the car door shut before I could get out. I had never felt more fear in my life. Why couldn’t he just let me go? He tried again but this time I started screaming and telling him ‘NO’. I thought of all the possible things I could do to get out of that car. I decided to unlock the door and run. He did not stop me this time. The next time I saw you, I ran and hid because I was terrified of you.

Let me tell you, I am no longer terrified.

For the longest time, I put the blame on myself because I could have avoided the situation

But I said no.

And No Means No.