Former WWE Divas Champion Eve Torres took to Instagram today to disclose that she was sexually assaulted more than 10 years ago. Eve shared the tragedy as a part of Sexual Assault Awareness month, hoping to encourage other victims to begin healing.
Torres wrote, “It took me 10 years to admit to myself, and then to others, that I was a survivor of rape. It happened on a night with mutual friends, alcohol, and while I was out of town in an environment that was unfamiliar to me. At the time of the assault, I used all of these circumstances to tell myself that I had participated in the act, when in reality, my verbal and physical resistance indicated otherwise. It is so common for women to believe that because we didn’t physically ‘fight’ him off, we invited it, and it wasn’t rape. This is not true. When we are faced with a situation that seems impossible to get out of, or would require a battle we don’t believe we are equipped for, we often feel we have no other choice than to continue without resistance. This form of cooperation can even be considered a survival tool in some circumstances, but it does not mean that we allowed it, wanted it, asked for it, invited it, or chose it. If we did not offer our consent, it is sexual assault, and in many cases, including mine, it was rape. It took me embarking on my journey in Women Empowered to garner the confidence to acknowledge the reality of what happened, and then share my story with others. In order to authentically ask others to advocate for themselves, I had to be an advocate for myself. Self-defense doesn’t end if/when an assault takes place. Self-defense is the mindset that we deserve to be protected, supported, and safe, and that may mean seeking help after an incident occurs. One might think that acknowledging a sexual assault would make someone feel powerless. In reality, it wasn’t until I was able to identify it as such that I was finally able to take back the control that I felt was stolen from me that night. I know that if I were put in the exact same situation, all these years later, I now have an arsenal of physical and psychological tools to defend against him. As the shame was stripped away, my power emerged.”
She wrote more in the caption of the Instagram post and encouraged victims to contact RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), which works with WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley to bring awareness.
She continued in the caption, “It is still Sexual Assault Awareness month, and I felt it was important to share this. For some, it takes decades and many life experiences to truly process what has occurred in our past. I didn’t tell anyone about my assault for over 10 years, likely because of shame, shock, denial, and an inability to come to terms with it. I thought surviving an assault would become my “identity,” and what I thought that meant at the time challenged my beliefs about who I thought it was. I now know this is far from the truth. I know many women (and men) have still yet to processes many parts of their past. One might think that after 10 or more years, the wounds have healed, but while wounds left unattended can heal, they leave scars that exist with us for life. It is never too late to talk to someone about your past. It’s never too late to start healing. I will create space for you if you would like to talk to me. Leave a [heart emoji] below if you are open to listening to your friends and family about sexual assault. Or, you can contact RAINN.org 1-800-656-HOPE #consent #SAAM #survivor #selfdefense #RAINN”
Eve worked with WWE from 2007 – 2013. She has appeared for the company as an Ambassador in recent years.
You can see Eve’s full post below:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwpWy6igv9W/?utm_source=ig_embed
