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Abigail Breslin Reveals Why She Didn’t Report Her Sexual Assault by an Ex-Boyfriend
In a powerful Instagram message, actress Abigail Breslin reveals why she never told police about her sexual assault, which was committed by an ex-boyfriend.
The post, which she captions with a trigger warning, was in response to a commenter who wrote, "Reported rapes are the only rapes that count,” after the 21-year-old shared an infographic that details how many perpetrators walk free.
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“I did not report my rape. I didn’t report it because of many reasons,” Abigail begins. "First off, I was in complete shock and total denial. I didn't want to view myself as a 'victim,' so I suppressed it and pretended that it never happened.”
She continues, “Second of all, I was in a relationship with my rapist and feared not being believed. I also feared that if my case didn't lead anywhere, he would still find out and would hurt me even more. Thirdly, I knew how hurt my friends and family would be after finding out, and I didn't want to put them through that."
The Scream Queens star goes on to reveal that she was diagnosed with PTSD a year and a half ago following the incident. "I have made a lot of progress since the event occurred, but I won't pretend it isn't something I struggle with. I still have flashbacks, I still get nightmares, I still jump when somebody touches me unexpectedly, even if it's my best friend tapping me on the shoulder,” she shares.
"To say that reported rapes are the only rapes that count contributes to the ideology that survivors of unreported rape don't matter,” she adds. “It's unfair, untrue, and unhelpful. It's like if you got a black eye from getting punched in the face, but because you didn't call the police, you didn't really get a black eye. Unreported rapes count. Reported rapes count. End of story."
We applaud Abigail for finding the courage to share her painful experience.
