Diary of an Aid worker.

"Medecins Sans Frontieres is one of the few aid agencies still working in Liberia.  Tom Quinn, who works for MSF, is writing a diary for BBC News Online."

2:38:30 PM    

Red and yellow and orange and green...

Double Rainbow.  Saw one on my way to work yesterday.  It kept me smiling a long while.

2:59:49 AM    

Late night chats. 

A few days ago, while talking to a friend of mine the subject of her being raped a long time back came up.  We were comparing what I thought were cute little teenage love's battle scars, when she told me of the incident.  Things continued well until I slipped out the phrase 'blah blah blah ... being a rape survivor ... blah blah blah'.

Suddenly her arm shot out and she punched me in the shoulder. Hard.  Bloody hard.

The explanation for this was:

"I am not a rape survivor.  Don't call me that.  I am not a rape victim, or sufferer or anything else.  I am not damaged goods and I wasn't asking for it.  I am not a rape-anything.  I AM ME.  Nothing else but me. Yes, I was raped, but that doesn't equal I'm a survior, victim or otherwise.  This is not bloody Alcoholics Anonymous.  It's something that happened to me, it doesn't define me, it is NOT who I am.  I survived being raped, I'm not a rape survivor. Ok?  Oh and I'm sorry if I hit you too hard you sounded like one of those white coats, so holier than thou and it pi**ed me off." (paraphrased of course)

I deserved it.  Sorry.  Wow, but she has some arm on her that girl. *wince*  I only hope I have never used that word or been so unthinkingly condescending at work. 

Rape Crisis

Stats for England and Wales

2:39:05 AM