The road to courage has not been easy for freshman Xara Aman. In middle school, Aman found herself the victim of sexual harassment. 

“It changed a lot for me,” Aman said. “I trusted that person, and I knew him. It made me feel really uncomfortable.”

At first, Aman did not tell anyone — including her parents — about the experience, but she eventually built up the confidence to talk to a school counselor. 

“I’m really proud of the fact that I stood up for myself and found the courage to talk to someone older,” Aman said. “That courage — it took a while, but talking to the counselor was a good first step.”

Aman needed more time to reflect before she told her parents, but once she did, they played a significant role in supporting her through this experience. 

“My mom is my best friend,” Aman said. “Ever since then, I’ve gotten more comfortable talking to her about my personal experiences, feelings and emotions. She’s helped me learn how to handle situations like this and taught me in so many ways. I’m forever thankful for her.”

Something that Aman loves and finds comfort in doing is journaling her thoughts and life experiences to form her own stories. 

“Writing helps me pour out my emotions,” Aman said. “Especially if I’m living through a certain moment or certain feelings. Writing it down is the best way of coping with the situation.”

In the future, Aman hopes to use her writing as an avenue to promote awareness on sexual violence. Aman has already written a short story about a character going through a similar situation that she did. 

“This issue isn’t brought up enough in schools and should be highlighted,” Aman said. “I don’t want people to be as stuck as I was back then. I want people to find the voice to speak out about it more.”

Over time, Aman has regained a lot of her courage. Moving forward, she wants to be a source of support and inspiration for those who have had to face similar experiences. 

“Be confident,” Aman said. “Just know that there are always people there to help and comfort you. Speak up and use your words because they are powerful.”