Violated

I was 15 years old, and in 10th grade at Simi Valley High School. It was lunchtime, and the whole school was congregating in “The Quad.” My friends and I sat under one of the big oak trees, enjoying the shade on a warm June day. Summer was upon us and the school year was about to end. Spirits were high.

We were finishing up our lunches and gossiping. I stood up to throw my trash away when I saw two older boys walking towards my small group of friends. As they approach, the taller boy looked right at me and walked straight up to me.

“Hey,” he says.
“Hey,” I say, thrilled that a Junior had singled ME out.
He looks down, kind of kicks the grass with the toe of his Converse, then looks me in the eye and says:
“I’m really sorry about this, but the guys are gonna give me 50 bucks if I do this.”
And he grabs my breasts. At lunch. In front of the whole school.

I didn’t understand what was happening. It’s like everything froze. And remember I said that two older boys were walking over – yeah, well, the second guy was there to take a picture. I guess to document the incident so Mr. Hands could prove what he’d done and collect his winnings.

Let me interject here; I developed early. I was a very curvy girl and wore my first bra at the age of 10. My breasts were very, very large by the time I was 15 and there was no way that I went unnoticed by a group of horny adolescent males.

I was mortified. I could hear the “guys” with the 50 bucks laughing, I looked over, and they were high-fiving and clapped the assailant on the back as he walked back to where they stood.

I started to shake and tear up. My friends took me right up to the office where I told the secretary to the principal what had happened. The police were called. When they arrived, I assume they interviewed me (I have no memory of that). By now I’m sobbing in the office, and my father was called.

While I’m sobbing, waiting for my dad, the police arrested the boy who touched me. He was handcuffed and taken away in the police car, later to be charged with assault and battery since he actually touched me. He would also be expelled from the entire Simi Valley school district.

My dad finally arrived to pick me up and take me home for the rest of the day. But we didn’t go straight home – my father took me to see a plastic surgeon that afternoon, and one month later, after my dad’s wedding to my step-mom, I had breast reduction surgery.

Not only did this incident change my life physically; a pound of breast tissue was removed from each breast; it changed how I felt about and saw myself. I literally shrank into myself. My posture changed, I would round my shoulders to try and hide my chest. I didn’t want to be seen or noticed. I believed that men only wanted me for my body or sex – that’s all that I was worth. At the same time, if I wasn’t getting attention from men, I assumed I must be worthless.

It’s taken me the better part of 20 years to be able to counteract these negative thoughts – and to this day I can’t always counteract them. It’s a struggle every day for me to be proud of who I am and not measure my value by how I look or who is looking.

I was violated.

He didn’t just touch my breasts; he assaulted my self-confidence.

Photo Credit: David Blackwell. Flickr via Compfight cc

Meghan Cipolla

Meghan Cipolla lives in Los Angeles, CA - specifically the San Fernando Valley where she’s resided for the past 5 years. She’s had many careers in her life but is currently an accountant in the real estate industry. Meghan has always dreamed of being a writer and works towards that goal and expressing herself creatively on a daily basis. She aspires to help other women navigate the challenges and difficulties of a life authentically lived.

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Meghan Cipolla lives in Los Angeles, CA - specifically the San Fernando Valley where she’s resided for the past 5 years. She’s had many careers in her life but is currently an accountant in the real estate industry. Meghan has always dreamed of being a writer and works towards that goal and expressing herself creatively on a daily basis. She aspires to help other women navigate the challenges and difficulties of a life authentically lived.

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3 thoughts on “Violated

  1. Amazingly courageous Meghan! For 37 years I’ve felt alone and isolated until we found each other. Thank You!

    The year is 1982 I was 13 and just started junior high, the big deal was all us boys would have to shower after PE. Probably the first or second time I had showered an asshole of a human being reached over my shoulders as I sat drying myself off and groped my boy boobs ( I was always a chubby kid). As he does he states “look at these titties!” After that single moment every friend or classmate laughed and ridiculed and made fun of me for the entirety of junior high. I never showered again. I made excuses to avoid PE. I didn’t want to exist like this. On my 15th birthday, the summer after my freshman year I asked for and received breast reduction surgery. I remember waking up with tubes in my chest and bags that had drainage. I thought my problems were solved. It only resulted in scars and a grotesque physique. I’ve never taken my shirt off in public and have had to explain it to every single woman who I thought was a partner. It even resulted in me staying in a verbally abusive marriage for way too long.

    I haven’t had the opportunity to tell you and I wanted to do so in person at the right moment. It seems as though that is currently a fleeting moment. You are a very special person and someone who made my lonely and awful existence justified with just a single “Hi John!”

    So thank you for existing, being brave, and having a kind and warm heart. I don’t know what the future godless but I will always be your biggest fan! John

  2. I read this article at least 3 times, not because of the sad content, but because of the vulnerability and honesty in which it was written. As a young man, I was always taught by my father to respect the bodies of women. Looking back I see, especially in light of recent events, I see how that bit of parenting was one of the most important things he instilled in me.

    When I read Meghan’s article I don’t see that scared girl who was made to feel she had to hide her body. Instead this is clearly written by a strong woman with a relevant voice, one with conviction and empathy. I hope to read more of Ms. Cipolla’s work. The net needs more voices like hers.

  3. Thank you for speaking up for all of us Meghan. I hope you have grown past this trauma now, into the realiztion that you are so much more than your physical body, as are we all. These painful events are precious lessons that can teach us so much and help us grow. I know, I went through it when I was much older than you and was dumb struck, unable to acknowledge it for what it was.
    Sending you love and blessings,
    Susan xo

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