Hate sites popped up with my name, my address, photos of my house.People wrote death threats and rape threats online. She tweets Interview HighlightsĬhessy Prout: "My name was already blasted on the darkest parts of the internet. GuestsĬhessy Prout, author of "I Have The Right To: A High School Survivor's Story of Sexual Assault, Justice, And Hope." She tweets Abelson, investigative reporter for the Boston Globe's Spotlight Team and co-author of Prout's memoir. Labrie was cleared of a felony rape charge, but convicted on three counts of misdemeanor charges, which he's appealing.ĭuring the trial, Prout's name was withheld but she's since come forward, chronicling her journey from anonymous victim in a high profile sexual assault case to outspoken advocate for assault survivors. Paul's rape trial" captured national headlines. She said it was part of a campus ritual called "senior salute," where senior boys would seek out sexual encounters with younger students. In 2014, when Chessy Prout was a freshman at the elite Saint Paul's boarding school in Concord, New Hampshire, she accused senior Owen Labrie of sexually assaulting her. We stand with you and support you on every step of your journey.Facebook Email Chessy Prout at WBUR to talk about her memoir "I Have The Right To". To each and every survivor reading this, remember that you are not alone. I am so proud to be working with I Have The Right To as we fight to bring about change and demand better from our institutions. As Chessy declared so eloquently, “I have the right to be happy, sad, upset, angry, and inspired anytime during the process of my healing without being judged.”Īlthough her memoir brought me to tears every time I opened it, it also set a fire under me to stand up and hold both institutions and individuals accountable for their poor responses and inaction. Her words validated my emotions and actions following my assault and brought me to the realization that my feelings were acceptable and normal. Lastly, Chessy’s strength and grace despite her circumstances have inspired me to fight for myself and survivors everywhere. They were not hurt by me, but instead by my perpetrator’s action and our community’s response. Her writing brought me to the understanding that I never asked for what happened to me, and I am not the one who brought my family pain. Chessy’s memoir furthermore alleviated the guilt I felt for my family’s suffering following my assault. Our “friends” who betrayed us were never truly our friends, as they chose to act out of self interest, rather than compassion. Chessy and I were both deeply wronged by the institutions put in place to protect us. Paul’s School helped me to understand that what I went through was not my fault. Learning about Chessy’s similar experience at St. I eventually had to leave the school I had attended since kindergarten as I felt targeted by my community and peers. My school played a large role in my re-traumatization following the assault, making countless promises to protect me that never came to fruition. However, there was a long time that I felt ONLY my family was there for me, as my friends and community turned their backs on us, choosing to defend my perpetrator and isolate me.
Like Chessy, I am extremely fortunate to have a family that has shown me nothing but love and support since the beginning.
Upon reading her memoir, I realized that our assaults had occurred only a few months apart in 2014, which amplified my feeling that Chessy and I, as well as our families, have been sharing a very similar healing journey. I have spoken with and been encouraged by countless survivors throughout my healing, but none of them had shared my experiences of betrayal by my peers and school system, and none had been so close to my age. While I have been told time and time again “You’re not alone,” this did not truly resonate with me until learning about Chessy’s journey. Reading Chessy’s book had a massive impact on me as the survivor of a middle school sexual assault.
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