Isabella was a freshman in high school when she began dating a girl who controlled and sexually abused her. Now a senior in college, Isabella speaks out about what happened to her and wants others to understand queer sexual violence.

Lilly shares her message to supportive friends and family: “It’s not going to be an overnight thing. It could take months or years. The biggest priority is making sure that the person who is being abused understands that this isn’t safe, and that you support them.”

It wasn’t until she was talking to a classmate that Barbara realized the experience wasn’t normal. It can be challenging for teens, who are new to dating, to recognize that sexual assault and abuse may be part of an abusive relationship