< Translator’s note: The original formatting of the stories has been preserved. The translations aim to remain as close as possible to each author's original wording and expression.
This was a year ago. I met a man at a training, and on the very first day, he started showing me sexual attention. He never asked me what I wanted or what exactly I wanted. If I moved my hands away from places on his body where he'd put them, he would put them back. Sometimes he heard only direct words — "no." But not always. Because I told him three times that I didn't want to kiss with tongue — every time he ignored it.
Three weeks later, we met again. That evening, he told me nothing would happen until I told myself that I wanted it. And then added in a sad voice that this was if I said so at all. He was talking about penile-vaginal contact. Those words reassured me, because I knew I would never say that. But at some point, he reached for something, and I heard the sound of a condom wrapper tearing. He didn't even ask me. And he knew perfectly well it was going to be my first time.
When I said I was in pain, he simply said: "It doesn't hurt." Now this man posts about supporting the 16 Days Against Violence campaign. Does he think sexual violence isn't violence?
Anonymous author; story told in 2020 as part of the "16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence" campaign
