‘I Am Not Shutting Up:’ Daisy Coleman, Missouri Rape Victim, Speaks Out

Daisy Coleman Matthew Barnett Maryville Missouri Albany Missouri Rex Barnet Sam Graves Rape Sexual Assault.

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As news emerges that a special prosecutor will re-open her case, Daisy Coleman, 15, published an article today about the sexual assault that thrust her into the media spolight. Published on XOJANE and titled, “I’m Daisy Coleman, The Teenager at the Center of the Maryville Rape Media Storm, and This is What Really Happened,” Coleman’s article confronts her attackers, gracious thanks her supporters, and tells the world that she is not “shutting up.”

In January 2012, Coleman and a younger friend were given alcohol in the basement of a high school senior’s house. Once the 13 and 14 year old girls were intoxicated to the point of incoherence, they were raped. Since that time, Daisy writes that she has been harassed and tormented by friends, teachers, and her community. In a frank confession Coleman writes:

I sat alone in my room, most days, pondering the worth of my life. I quit praying because if God were real, why would he do this?

I was suspended from the cheerleading squad and people told me that I was “asking for it” and would “get what was coming.”

Why would I even want to believe in a God? Why would a God even allow this to happen? I lost all faith in religion and humanity. I saw myself as ugly, inside and out. If I was this ugly on the inside, then why shouldn’t everyone see the ugly I saw?

daisy coleman

Daisy Coleman and her accused attacker Matthew Barnett.

Coleman also thanks hacktivist group Anonymous who have championed her cause. The online collective created a Twitter account, @Justice4Daisy, and got #Justice4Daisy to trend world wide. Daisy writes:

Since Anonymous has gotten involved, everything has changed. #justice4Daisy has trended on the Internet, and pressure has come down hard on the authorities who thought they could hide what really happened.

You can read the full article at XOJane.