Katie Thurston has opened up about one thing extraordinarily private and, sadly, very painful.
The previous Bachelorette star revealed to the general public on Friday that she was a sufferer of sexual assault.
In a candid submit on Instagram, Thurston detailed her expertise following the rape, which included getting ready a rape equipment and receiving help from a Sexual Assault Response Group (SART).
She didn’t delve into any particulars in regards to the incident, together with when it occurred.
“My ache has objective, my objective has energy, and I wish to give attention to the constructive,” Thurston wrote within the first slide on her account on the time, persevering with beneath:
“The justice system fails victims on daily basis. I refuse to really feel like a failure due to the energy it takes to advocate for myself. I hope my expertise may also help these folks really feel the energy and help they want.”
“Whereas I’m not able to share my story, I wish to share the dear sources that saved my life.”
Thurston, who has beforehand mentioned The Bachelorette took a significant toll on her psychological well being, started filming the movie again in 2021.
In her newest admission, she continued:
“I referred to as 911 to report my rape. They despatched an officer to file my assertion after which drove me to a particular medical middle for a SART check…
“I felt like a misplaced little one, susceptible and scared.
“They defined the complete course of totally, sought my consent alongside the way in which, and allowed me to say no or change my thoughts at any time.”
Thurston accepted Blake Moines’ proposal to finish her season … however then dated contestant John Hussey after she and Moines ended their engagement.
She and Hussey break up in the summertime of 2022.
Nonetheless, again to her horrific expertise…
“Blood was drawn to verify for STDs, medicine and blood alcohol ranges,” Thurston wrote on social media in regards to the aftermath of the assault.
“I obtained Plan B, Rocephin (injectable vaccine for bacterial infections), Azithromycin (to deal with doable STIs), and Truvada and nPEP (to deal with doable HIV) for a month.”
She additionally let her followers know that anybody in San Diego can do that totally free, even with out medical insurance.
The previous actuality star mentioned she was given digital instruments to assist her observe the outcomes of her medical exams.
“My equipment takes 4 months to finish its cycle. Nothing can change till that is full, so this time permits me to hunt psychological well being help,” Thurston wrote.
One significantly susceptible slide learn: “I did all the things I needed to do as a rape sufferer. “Listed here are my texts, my telephone, my images, my movies, names, witnesses, places. , social media, timestamps, surveillance footage, DNA, my physique. “
The conclusion of this slide is:
“The warnings that ‘convictions in prison courtroom are troublesome’ had been repeated all through the months, like when you had been compelled to maintain an annoying parrot. Regardless of what I heard, I used to be nonetheless not ready to be stopped. Nonetheless, within the absence of Any warning, I do.
Thurston beforehand admitted on a 2021 episode of “The Bachelorette” that she was “concerned in a non-consensual scenario” on New 12 months’s Eve 10 years in the past, though it is unclear whether or not that incident was associated to this incident.
Thurston was a contestant on “The Bachelor” earlier than touchdown the function on “The Bachelorette” (as talked about above).
After her Instagram submit went viral, Katie shared in a press release to Leisure Tonight:
“I’ve had a lot help from the neighborhood, which has saved me robust over the previous seven months.
“Whereas the end result is disappointing, I’m at peace and channeling any ache into objective and hope to assist different sexual assault survivors.”
