so, part of being assaulted pretty publicly three years ago is the shame that people may know about it. I finally have officially “taken a break” from dance as my dance group has increasingly become associated with my old dance studio and familiar faces that jar bad memories come out to dance, even though the man himself has never shown up. I chose not to call the police or press charges and that’s the choice I made back then. 

so, if I was thought of as a crazy false accuser, I don’t think I’d be getting these kind of “bless your heart” responses. My dance teacher recorded a video of everyone singing happy birthday to me and it really did touch me. But I just can’t be there right now when I know the community is so interconnected at this point. I started Monday nights because it wasn’t related to my old dance studio, but now that’s not the case.