Hello Everyone.
I am Midshipman X. I am the one that posted the article. I have read though all your comments and many more like them on all the other platforms that spoke about my account. I posted anonymously, but I am no longer anonymous to current midshipmen, USMMA leaders, MARAD, DOT, FBI, Shipping companies, and now News outlets. I am sure that it is only a matter of time before my name comes out to all of you, and so be it. I left key details in my story knowing there might be a risk that it circles back to me, but all of it was too important to leave out. I had to tell my story properly.
Most of you are parents. I ask you to think of what happened to me and place your DS/DD in my shoes.
Imagine if it was your kid reading everything people were saying about them. Or that your kid had this much to deal with right now.
I was a 19 year old teenager. I was broken. What happen to me BROKE ME. Please spot pointing out what I should've done. Trust me I know I made mistakes. I know I was to trusting that people could actually be good. Call me naïve... BUT I AM NOT THE ISSUE! Alcohol is not the issue that causes rape to happen either. Please I ask you to stop victim blaming/ situation blaming and focus on the real issue.
I shared my story to show others that others would know that they weren't alone. I was finally ready to say what happen to me. I never expected all of this to come from my story. I spent years trying to recover from what happened and all of this is just like revisiting it every time something new is published.
Change is coming. I feel like we are closer now than we ever have been. I hope you realize that what happened to me could happen to anyone, including anyone of your kids...male or female. There is a culture that must be stopped. The answer is now telling women that we don't belong at sea. The answer is telling rapist and harassers it's not okay to do those things. They must be stopped. Please do not think that the solution to this issue is to stop women from being in this industry. That is totally backwards. Please let my words spark some change, it seems like they already have.
I feel the love. I feel the hate. Whatever side you may be on, brace for long overdue change.
Very Respectfully,
Midshipman X
USMMA Class of 2022