I was wearing black cotton scrubs that were issued to me by the hospital where I worked when I was sexually assaulted.
I was a respiratory therapist supervisor for a very large hospital. The doctor that I worked for had raped me several times over a period of six months. It started out gradually with a pat on my shoulder, then hugs and words of encouragement, then to mandatory meetings and lunches in his office behind closed doors, to rubbing me, kissing me, and then one day he started locking his door, covering the camera on his phone and computer, and raped me.
I never consented to him touching me, ever!
I always told him no, but the doctor preyed on my vulnerability and my young age. He threatened me that if I wanted to keep my job at the hospital or any hospital for that matter, that I will keep my mouth shut and take it. He also told me that if I ever told anyone, he would make sure that I would lose my family too, and that he had the power to make my life miserable. I truly believed him.
After six months of his abuse, I broke down and told my husband.
I reported the doctor to human resources, where nothing happened to him, so I left my job.
It wasn’t about what I was wearing, it was about him having power and control over me.