“Before, we were inseparable,” Alycia told us. “But when she found out about the rape, she said, ‘I can’t talk to you.’ ” Alycia sought support from other friends and got similar responses. One of them even admitted, “I know this has been really hard for you, but it has also been really hard for me.” The friend was feeling guilty for failing to stop the assault and was personalizing the tragedy. Alycia reassured her that she wasn’t to blame, but the friend stopped talking to Alycia, choosing escape over empathy.
