TO THE EDITOR:
Being a survivor of sexual assault means I can’t have it all. I have to drop classes I really like and sacrifice doing well at my job (which I have to have to pay for my therapy) because my PTSD requires me to have at least 10 hours of sleep in order to function which cuts into my homework time and self-care.
There is no such thing as “sucking it up” for me. Trying to could do serious damage to my health and safety, like the time earlier this year I was so busy writing a paper, I neglected my chronic dry eye and ended up tearing my cornea.
All this, and I’m still doing extraordinarily well for a survivor. Every single one of my survivor friends have had to withdraw, underload, transfer out of UNC, or stay for extra semesters in order to continue to survive, which is unbelievably expensive. It’s a miracle I’m still on track to graduate in four years.
So think twice before you criticize survivors for demanding better treatment from UNC. The University is supposed to help us, not fill us with fear and self-doubt when we’re trying to recover from a life-changing traumatic event.
Christine Allison
Senior
UNC Survivors Collective
Trying to understand depression’s impact
