I am creating this petition for someone who means a great deal to me: my friend, Avery Moomey.

Avery is more than what happened to her. She is a friend, a daughter, a student, a person with a life, a future, big dreams, and people who care deeply about her. But in January 2026, while attending the University of Northern Iowa, Avery reported experiencing sexual assault—rape. Since that day, she has had to carry the weight of something no one should ever have to endure. She has experienced immense emotional trauma and distress that has affected the way she sees the world, from the strangers she encounters to even the people closest to her.

What has stayed with me most is the courage it took for Avery to come forward. She sought medical care, reported what she experienced, cooperated with the investigative process, and waited, hoping that somehow there would eventually be answers and a sense of closure.

After months of waiting, Avery was informed that her case was being closed by campus police.

But closing a case does not mean closing the pain. It does not erase the memories, the questions, or the emotional weight of what someone has been through. And it certainly does not mean that the person at the center of it all should feel as though their experience has been forgotten.

This petition is not about assigning blame, making accusations, or questioning the intentions of any individual or institution. It is about Avery. It is about reminding a friend who has been through something incredibly difficult that she is seen, she is heard, and she is not alone.

Coming forward takes an immense amount of courage. Continuing to live your life afterward takes courage, too. Avery should never have to wonder whether the people around her care or whether her experience matters.

We cannot change what happened. We cannot take away the pain or give Avery back the sense of safety she may have lost. But we can choose what we do now. We can choose to stand beside her. We can choose compassion over silence. We can choose to listen, support survivors, and create a community where no one feels like they have to carry the aftermath of trauma alone.

Avery deserves to know that the people who care about her have not forgotten. She deserves to know that her voice matters. Her experience matters. And she matters.

By signing this petition, we are simply saying:

Avery, you are not alone. We see you. We hear you. We stand with you.