To every Survivor who has ever hesitated, second-guessed, or swallowed the truth to protect someone else's comfort:You are not late.You are not wrong.
To every Survivor who has ever hesitated, second-guessed, or swallowed the truth to protect someone else’s comfort:
You are not late.
You are not wrong.
And you are not the problem.
There is no bad day to tell the truth about abuse.
Not yesterday.
Not today.
Not tomorrow.
The world may try to make you believe that truth-telling is a performance—something that needs to be delivered at the right time, in the right tone, for the right audience. But this isn’t theater. This is your life. And your truth does not owe anyone a perfectly timed debut.
You may hear the question:
“Why now?”
Why bring it up after all this time?
Why didn’t you say something sooner?
Why are you still talking about it?
That question is not innocent.
It is not curious. (Even, when they quickly add; “I’m just curious)
It is often laced with self-protection, deflection, and manipulation—meant to turn your courage into doubt.
People ask “why now?” when:
They are afraid of what your truth reveals about someone they admire
They are uncomfortable with the consequences of accountability
They fear the systems, families, or reputations that your truth may expose
But their fear is not your responsibility.
Their discomfort is not more important than your freedom.
Their timeline is not your timeline.
Some Survivors speak out immediately. Others take days.
Some take years. Some wait decades.
All of those choices are valid. Because abuse doesn’t end when the bruises fade. It ends when we reclaim our stories, in our voices, on our terms.
If today is the day you whisper the truth to yourself for the first time—that counts.
If today is the day you say it out loud to someone else—that counts.
If today is the day you write it down, post it, tell a friend, speak into a mic, or say it with trembling lips—that counts.
The truth does not expire.
It does not lose value.
It does not become less real just because time has passed.
You are not “bringing up the past.”
You are bringing yourself forward.
And there is no wrong day for that.
So speak when you are ready. Speak when you are safe.
Speak because your story deserves breath—not burial.
And if someone dares to ask you, “why now?”
You can simply respond:
Because now I can.
And that is reason enough.
Tonya GJ Prince!
