About girls and women not telling after they're attacked

[sinkingfeeling]

When I was 15 years old, I went into Columbus to shop on a day we didn't have school. My mom was a secretary for a small insurance company and worked on the 12th. floor of a building housing multiple businesses.

As I was coming back to her office. I stepped into the elevator with a single man. He was probably 40 and dressed in jeans. As the elevator began its climb, he came up behind me and dropped to his knees. He placed one of his hands on each side of my leg and started up under my dress (this was the early "60s). I did not say a word. I shoved him off balance as my hand searched for the elevator buttons. Some how I hit like floor 7 and the doors suddenly opened. I tore out, but didn't even try to enter an office where help might have been. I ran around the corner and started down the stairs. He followed. I was faster and made it to the ground floor. Again, there were people everywhere, but I went out the door and ran up the busy street. He followed me for about two blocks before giving up and turning around.

I never told my parents nor sister nor best friend. I told no one until I told my husband about it 7 years later.

Why? I was ashamed that I tempted a man at age 15? I was ashamed some complete stranger had touched me? I don't know. My mother passed away in 2015 at 96. I'm now 70 and I never told her.