My name is Ava Eberling and I am 14 years old. I’m a freshman at Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt Manor, New York. In October 2021 I went through an experience no girl my age - no girl at all! - should have to go through. A boy in my school, Xoan Martinez, sexually assaulted me and attempted to rape me. I was lucky enough to get away. I had been friends with him since September and he got me drunk one day, I know now that it was all with the intention of forcing himself on me. I’m scared to go to school with Xoan, I’m scared OF Xoan. He has harassed me in person and all over social media and threatened to post private photos of me online. The scariest thing is that when we were friends he bought a BB gun and then told me he wanted to buy a real one. He has a very violent streak and I don’t know what he would do if he ever got his hands on one. He knows where I live, or he could even bring it to school. It took me a while to come forward, it is not something that’s easy to speak out about considering the social stigma, but I can not let him get away with this. After I spoke out, many girls in school have come to me with stories about him, about similar things happening. I know he was also expelled from his previous school, and although I don’t know the reason, it’s possible it was over something similar. What if there are more victims out there? What is there’s a girl who couldn’t get away and is just too afraid to speak out? I tried talking to my school principal, Mr. Spero, but he basically brushed me off. How can someone who watches over a school and whose job is to protect and look over the wellbeing of his students brush me aside like nothing happen, like I wasn’t and can’t be in danger. Any girl in my school is in danger with Xoan Martinez walking the halls.

I have gotten many words of support from my school mates, but it feels like the adults - the people in charge - are not taking me seriously. I need help. I need them to listen. I need something to be done. I don’t know how long I can stand this. We all deserve to be able to go to school and feel safe, and to be able to get an education without the fear of our dignity being stolen.

The next girl might not as lucky.

If you read this far, thank you for listening and helping get my story out there. Let’s clean our halls, Walter Panas.

CHARGE XOAN MARTINEZ.