I want to start this with a moment of silence—for all the beautiful, brilliant, and brave women who have had their light dimmed by a man taking something that was never his to take.

Healing after trauma is never easy. Healing after sexual assault feels almost impossible. I know this firsthand. I had an experience where I trusted someone I shouldn’t have.

What happened to me changed me on a chemical level. I noticed my fantasies started to shift. They began to reflect how disgusted I felt with myself. I let self-blame rule me for two years until I decided to do some research on the topic. That’s when I realized: in those fantasies, I was in control. I understood that the version of me in my head—the one who wasn’t afraid—wasn’t broken. She was just trying to survive.

It was a long time before I told anyone what had happened to me. Not even the love of my life. But when I finally broke my silence, I noticed something else: I had someone I trusted who wanted to help me heal—and he did, in ways he’ll never fully understand. He stepped out of his comfort zone just to meet me in mine.

What I didn’t expect was to find comfort and empowerment through reading. I picked up The Ritual by Shantel Tessier and realized—holy shit—this was it. A safe space to explore the control that had been taken from me. I’m not saying dark romance is for everyone, but I knew from the moment I read it that it would help me heal.

The way the MMC embraced her fantasies? Without shame. Without judgment. That mattered to me.

I know not everyone will get this. That’s okay. This space isn’t about judgment—it’s about survival. It’s about healing in whatever way works for you. If you’re someone who needs to feel safe again, to reclaim your narrative, I want you to know: your healing is valid. And your story is yours, not theirs to judge.

Ultimately, this website is here to honor that. To offer space, healing, laughter, and light. And I’ll forever be grateful to the strong woman you are just for reading this.