"On the night of my high school graduation, I went to a party. I met a guy who asked me to go out with him that night. I declined because I didn't know him well enough to date him. Over the next few weeks, we talked a lot on the phone and I felt that I knew him better. Finally, I agreed to go out with him and accepted a date with him.

He came to my house to pick me up and meet my mother. My mother thought he was a nice guy. He took me to a great restaurant for dinner and we had a fun evening. On the way home, he changed. He began to drive recklessly. Instead of taking me home, he drove to the top of an unfamiliar road. He parked the car at the edge of a cliff with my door dangerously close to the edge. And then, he put on black leather gloves. He told me that I would do what he wanted. Then, he raped me.

When I was in high school, the Rape Treatment Center had presented a program in my class. I had learned what to do if you are raped. I told my mother that we had to call the police immediately. The police took me to the Center for medical care and an evidentiary examination. I stayed in counseling for a year and it really helped me deal with the rape."

---ROSA