Victim to survivor Part III: The conclusion

Photo By Monica Guthrie | Sgt. Tiffanie Crea. With respect to April being Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month, the Tribune is publishing a three-part series titled "Victim to Survivor." The series tells the story of a young woman dealing with the effects of a sexual assault. Because of the nature of the content, it may not be suitable for children. This concludes the series. *Indicates a name change. (Photo by Monica K. Guthrie)  

FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA, UNITED STATES

04.21.2016

Story by Monica Guthrie 

Fort Sill Public Affairs

FORT SILL, Okla., April 21, 2016 -- Editor's note: With respect to April being Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month, the Tribune is publishing a three-part series titled "Victim to Survivor." The series tells the story of a young woman dealing with the effects of a sexual assault. Because of the nature of the content, it may not be suitable for children. This concludes the series. *Indicates a name change.

Previously: In July 2013, three days after arriving at Camp Casey in South Korea, Sgt. Tiffanie Crea was raped by someone she knew while her roommate was in the barracks room. For months Crea kept the secret.

Then in September she told a sexual harassment/assault response and prevention (SHARP) representative and began a nonrestrictive case which was closed in February 2014 with a result of being "unfounded" due to a lack of physical evidence. Crea was beginning the healing process when, in August 2014, she was assaulted again.

BECOMING A VOICE
"I should have known from the first case," said Crea. "It happened a year after the rape."

Again the assailant was a friend. While watching a movie he began to touch Crea in inappropriate areas. Once again she froze.

"I didn't say the words, 'no,' but I pushed him away," she said. "It was the only things I could think of."

Unlike the last time the incident didn't escalate, however, also unlike the last time, Crea spoke up. A few hours after the incident she told the noncommissioned officer on CQ (charge of quarters).

"I was able to tell easier exactly what happened to my SHARP representatives and they were more helpful this time," said Crea. "I told them and CID (Criminal Investigation Division)."

Like the last case, this one also became unfounded this time because she didn't explicitly say the word "no." Despite the disappointing outcome, Crea once again found solace in knowing if something happened in the future, he would have a report of being accused.

As Crea prepared to move from Korea to Fort Sill, she tried counseling again and focused on her career. Additionally she began to write poems about what happened.

"Eventually I didn't need counseling because I stopped being a victim and became a survivor," she said.

Crea has an online blog where she writes about her experience both as an adult and her molestation as a child. The blog began Feb. 25, 2015 and is called "strugglestostrength" (strugglestostrengthblog.wordpress.com) a name that comes from her fourth poem. As an avid writer of poems, Crea thought a blog would be the best outlet for her and strives to write a post every day. She said she hopes others who read her blog will be able to find support through it.

"I started because I wanted to help people who have or have been through something similar to what I have been through," said Crea. "I went from a victim to a survivor. They can too. I want to help people so they don't have to be alone. They're going to feel like they're alone but they're not. I don't want other people to feel alone like I did."

Additionally Crea attended a group therapy session to help others. The group is a women's survivor group that meets Tuesdays at 2 p.m. at Behavioral Health at Reynolds Army Community Hospital. Crea was involved with a women's group in Korea where she found friends and support.

"Everyone reacts differently to what happens," she said. "It was hard because I left like I was alone in all of this. I know I'm not alone but there are many like me. So I continue to tell my story, if it comes up."

Now at a new duty station, Crea has kept her history somewhat private and said she didn't want other Soldiers to see her as a victim from what she struggled with in the past and what she still continues to struggle with now. Making things somewhat easier are two members of her unit who were with Crea in Korea -- one of them is her best friend. In addition she has talked to a few members but said they don't know as much as she shared for these articles, although they may know now. Additionally, Crea has talked with a staff sergeant in her unit, a woman, who is a SHARP representative.

"I've never really had a mentor that was a strong female (noncommissioned officer)," she said. "It's great."

Crea said her experiences have been hard on her family, especially her dad who she said wants to protect her like he did when she was a child. She didn't tell her family immediately and when she did, she began with her grandmother followed by her mother. The rest of her family learned on Facebook after Crea posted two poems saying she was a victim of rape.

"They wished it never happened to me but I tell them it actually made me stronger," said Crea. "I've overcome so much in the past three years. I'm stronger than that."

Crea's story is not unlike many other stories. In the food court area of the Main Exchange is a seven-foot white tree with teal ribbons hanging from it. Each ribbon represents someone who was impacted personally or otherwise, with sexual assault. More than 200 ribbons hang on the tree and indicator of how prevalent sexual assault is and also how society is changing to support those who want to speak out.

For more information about SHARP and its resources, call 580-422-2938 or 580-442-2567.

• Date Taken: 04.21.2016
• Date Posted: 01.23.2017 16:29
• Story ID: 221065
• Location: FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA, US