< 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.

 

when i was in the hospital, i met a guy, i thought he was about 18. we communicated well and were friends. one time he ran into my ward saying “zhenia, i love you.” i replied that i loved him too, because in the hospital, it was normal to say this to friends. he answered, “you don’t understand, i love you as a girl.” i was in a strange state and said that we should talk about it tomorrow. the next day i explained to him that it was not mutual. his reaction was very strange — he didn’t get upset, he only said, “i don’t care, the main thing is that i love you.” all the time after that he gave me a lot of attention, gave me gifts that i didn’t want to accept. because of these gifts i felt guilty.

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later i found out that he had lied to me and that he was actually 30, he just looked very young. one day i was sitting alone in the ward, he came in, and it scared me a lot. he sat next to me, put my leg on himself and started stroking me in various spots. i couldn’t say anything to him because i was in a state of shock. at that time i considered myself guilty, because i thought that i had provoked him with my clothes and behavior. someone i knew gave him my address, and when i came home he sent me love letters and gifts. he was simply obsessed with me and considered me his property. at that time i was 14 years old.

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Zhenia; story shared in 2022 as part of the campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence”