When I was 28 I was raped by a doctor on an exam table in a medical center with another person present, the doctors wife, standing in the corner as it happened. It was not violent, it was manipulative and creepy. He used his position as a doctor to try and cover for his actions.

I came home from the incident and told my roommates, my friends, what had happened in tears and they encouraged me to call the police. I did. I made a report and the police were gracious to me the whole time. Shortly after I received a call from the DA office. They were extremely sensitive and supportive of the accusations I had made and wanted to meet and discuss what happened. He had a previous problem in another state doing the same thing to two girls down there and moved after being in trouble. I think he was suspended but investigations hit a wall and stopped.

I had to testify in court against this man alone. I was asked by the defense about my sexual history and questioned about how many partners I had had while living up there. (There was a snide remark regarding how many men I had slept with but stricken from the record :/) I was asked several embarrassing questions about my body, about my vagina, my clitoris, my g-spot... nothing was off limits. I get it, they had to try to make me look bad to save their client. Truth was I was in a hospital gown in an exam room in the middle of the day, I did nothing but run into the wrong person. I was in a doctors office, it should have been a safe place.

My testimony single handedly brought him down. He cannot practice medicine in the US ever again. His case in Oklahoma was reopened and under investigation last time I knew anything about him which was a long time ago. Oh, and I was told an investigation into his first wife's death by suicide was reopened. The night I got the news that his licence had been revoked I was back living in WA. I called my mom and dad with the news. We all went out to dinner to celebrate, including my younger brother. My parents had been aware of the whole thing, minus the details, and a huge support to me.

The amount of support I got from my friends, my boyfriend at the time, the police, the district attorney's office and staff, my family... all were paramount to me seeing the whole thing through. I had some great self esteem before this but going through the whole ordeal and coming out on top was a boost, to be sure. I was believed, I was supported.

This man had 15 minutes of power over me... I have a lifetime power over him. Of him remembering my name when I've forgotten his, of him not being able to do this again to anyone else, of him not being able to practice medicine ever again. I am not ashamed of what happened to me in any way. I am healthy and have suffered virtually no ill affects. If anything, it empowered me to see it through. I was not necessarily brave, I was doing what had to be done. I'm not sorry for myself, I know life has it's shit moments and I had one and it wasn't my fault. I have had a very healthy sex life and have no issues when seeing the doctor for exams of any kind. I have thanked my parents for how they fostered my self esteem and have always kept that in mind with my own children. I have thanked my friends and have always tried to be a support to others because I know how important it is.

I'm not looking for sympathy or "you're so brave" replies. I just thought I'd share. I am not defined by what happened to me, I am defined by how I handled it and by what I did. And if anyone wants to reach out, I am always here for support.