Elizabeth Smart

more and more involved.

And until now, I feel like I'm swimming out in the ocean about to be crushed by a tidal wave.

That's kind of how I got involved.

And really what really kind of pointed me, it was actually my own case that made a pretty big impact.

I remember my case, I mean, it was in the state courts for years.

And when my dad told me the initial charges that they were being charged with, I was really angry because none of the charges included rape charges.

Or, you know, sexual abuse of a minor.

And initially when I got home, I didn't want anyone to know that I'd been raped.

I was very ashamed of what had happened to me.

I didn't want people to know that I'd been forced to go naked.

I just didn't want people to know that anything like that had happened because I...

I just wasn't confident enough in the world to believe that I would still be worthy if everyone knew.

I felt like people would look at me differently, that I would somehow be less worthy than the girl sitting next to me to have friends or to be liked or even loved one day.

And I wasn't ready to give that up.

Now looking back, part of me is like, well, that was silly because I'm sure everyone already knew I was gone for nine months.

I mean, even when girls go missing for just a few hours or boys, you know, men and women for just a few hours, I think everyone automatically jumps to the conclusion that rape has been a part of it.

But I just didn't want to publicly confirm that.

But then, I mean, it took so long.

Everything took so long in my case that by the time it was like they were going to be charged with something, that wasn't one of the charges.

And I was like, wait a second.