2026 – Sable Lindow – mountain view high school HS

Overcoming Adversity

My life completely changed in January of 2025. I was newly 17 years old, working for a really great company and really great people. I had really good friends and was under the impression that my life was actually going pretty good. Sure, I had some anxiety and some depression, but it was never to the point where it was taking over my life.

Leading up to January 9, 2025, my co-worker, who was 6 years older than me, had been sexually assaulting me. He was a shift lead and I was only a sales associate. He was working towards being a manager and I had this thought in my head that I had no control or affect on his employment through this company. Even if I spoke up or said anything, he would have been allowed to still continue his employment and I would be the one fired. I decided it was a better decision to put in my 2 weeks notice and leave my employment there than continue working with him or be fired.

My last day of employment was January 10th, 2025. January 9th, I was putting in the new shipment we had gotten, when I was taken off guard by this co-worker and taken advantage of. He raped me in the back of our work place when no one was around. There were no cameras back there and so there was no evidence of what he did other than my body.

I officially reported the incident January 10th and went to the E.R. for a rape kit. I blocked his contact and he had no way of getting in contact with me. I thought that the rape kit would be evidence enough that I was assaulted, only to find out a month later that all the kit showed was that sex was had and my detective didn’t push the case farther than interviewing both of us and determining that there was not enough evidence, nor enough differences between our interview other than the he said/she said to persecute my rapist.

I fell into this feeling of being alone and no escape from my head or my overthinking thoughts. I started attending a second therapist to help process what had happened to me. I cannot say I have fully recovered from this traumatic, life changing, brain altering, event. However, I can say that I have found those around me have been so amazing and supportive of me returning to normal life and pursuing my interests. As much as my life changed, my life did not end January 9th, and for that, I am eternally grateful.