“My name is Allie and I'm a survivor of rape & sexual violence. And at the time of it, I didn't know where to turn for help, and I was too ashamed to speak up. The abuse left me in a painful battle with PTSD -- I was a stitched-up counterfeit of myself, trembling in the wreckage and feeling alone and hopeless. It wasn't until I contacted RAINN, confided in close friends, and started processing everything in therapy that I began to recover and feel less afraid of the world. Today, I'm no longer a fragile shell of myself. I'm no longer a prisoner to my past. After years of healing, I can finally say that there's hope for better. My story doesn't end at the abuse I experienced; I choose how I want to tell my narrative, and it begins with the courage I had to reclaim my life. I wear my teal A.W.A.R.E. necklace as a reminder to myself and others that we're stronger than what we've been through.” @allie_beks