Building self-confidence is a challenging journey, especially for survivors of sexual assault!

I was raped and sexually assaulted in my teens and early 20’s…so…I JUMPED OUT OF AN AIRPLANE!

I know!  What?!!  That was decades ago when I was 21, and at the time I had no idea why I felt like I HAD to jump out of an airplane!  In retrospect, making that jump, surviving a near disaster even before the jump, landing close to the target, and being able to tell people ~ “I JUMPED OUT OF AN AIRPLANE!” had sowed some early seeds of SELF-CONFIDENCE – which had been totally lacking because of my parents, my childhood, and my upbringing!

During my teens and early 20’s, I survived multiple rapes, sexual assaults, drink spiking, attempted murder, and other violent acts!

That lack of confidence made me the perfect Target and “Victim” for years!

I never went to the police.  I never told my parents, friends or ANYONE else for almost 10 years.  In the early 70’s, rape was always the woman’s fault. We heard that frequently.  Had I gone to the police for the Bulgarian acrobat rape (Barnum Bailey Circus – I was working for Burns Security at the Convention Center), it would have become an International “circus” in the media, and my narcissist mother would have somehow made it all about HER!

There were no cell phones or internet back then.  Other than going to the police, I had no idea what to do.  So, I said nothing, and did nothing. I couldn’t call anyone for help or find help or information.  I was ashamed, felt guilty, and suffered in “silent darkness” for almost a decade.  I was suicidal during all of those years.

Once I shared my story with my husband-to-be almost 10 years later, I felt like a huge weight had been finally lifted. Being able to talk about it was cathartic!  My life started to change…a few months later I was hired by my first law firm as a receptionist.  That started my 40-year career in the legal field (after my medical career abruptly ended before it even started – due to a brain injury from a car accident my senior year in college).  I spent 30 years as a medical litigation paralegal helping injured clients or their surviving families.  Very early in my legal career, I realized that HELPING OTHERS WAS THE KEY TO HEALING MY SOUL 

It took quite a few years for my confidence to really kick into “Badass” mode, but I “worked it” every day and it grew!  I knew in my heart that I needed to help more people, but I had no idea how.  Until October 6, 2018… A newsclip on the Today Show infuriated me – women at a rally laughed because Dr. Ford was being mocked when she testified before Congress against Brett Kavanaugh – because she didn’t tell her parents, didn’t go to the police, or remember how to get to the house where she was assaulted – I COULD RELATE!   

I told my husband – I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!!!  Within minutes the ideas started “pouring in!”  The name, Mission, Logo (5 years later, it’s a Registered Trademark!), and more – I spent a few hours writing notes that day!  I envisioned an “army” of women wearing our logo (Stinging Butterfly) to identify one another, joining arm in arm to support one another to prevent sexual assault!