--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: IT happened. There is no avoiding it, no…" description: "\"“IT happened. There is no avoiding it, no forgetting. No running away, or flying, or burying, or hiding. Andy Evans raped me in August when I was drunk..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae1/laurie-halse-anderson-623_evans_it-happened-there-is-no-avoiding-it-no-f_2916112.png" --- # IT happened. There is no avoiding it, no forgetting. No… ![“IT happened. There is no avoiding it, no forgetting. No running away, or flying, or burying, or hiding. Andy Evans raped me in August when I was drunk and too young to know what was happening. It wasn’t my fault. He hurt me. It wasn’t my fault. And I’m not going to let it kill me. I can grow.” quote by Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae1/laurie-halse-anderson-623_evans_it-happened-there-is-no-avoiding-it-no-f_2916112.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae1/laurie-halse-anderson-623_evans_it-happened-there-is-no-avoiding-it-no-f_2916112.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae1/laurie-halse-anderson-623_evans_it-happened-there-is-no-avoiding-it-no-f_2916112.png) > ““IT happened. There is no avoiding it, no forgetting. No running away, or flying, or burying, or hiding. Andy Evans raped me in August when I was drunk and too young to know what was happening. It wasn’t my fault. He hurt me. It wasn’t my fault. And I’m not going to let it kill me. I can grow.”” [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A survivor asserts agency over trauma, refusing victimhood and choosing growth despite past abuse. **In simple terms:** Survivor chooses growth over being defined by trauma. Key Takeaway Own your story, pursue healing. Themes trauma resilience agency growth Mood determined hopeful empowered Type personal motivational When to use this quote - counseling sessions - support groups - personal therapy - advocacy - public speaking Key Concepts psychology empowerment healing Questions to Reflect On - How can you support others facing similar trauma? - What steps help you maintain resilience? A Different Perspective Healing can be non‑linear and may trigger painful memories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Andy Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/andy-evans-4225112/) [Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evans/) [Evans Raped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evans-raped-4225110/) [Raped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raped/) [Raped August](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raped-august-4225111/) ## Related quotes > [i was raped, too sexually assaulted in seventh grade, tenth grade. the summer after graduation, at a party i was 16 i was 14…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-was-raped-too-sexually-assaulted-in-seventh-grade-tenth-grade-the/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“(From the Q&A with the author at the end of the book.) Have any readers ever asked questions that shocked you? I have gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/from-the-q-a-with-the-author-at-the-end-of-the-book-have-any-readers/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I very much looked up to Janet Evans and Summer Sanders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-coughlin/i-very-much-looked-up-to-janet-evans-and-summer-sanders/) [Natalie Coughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-coughlin/) > [ I think Chris \[Evans\] has got Captain America locked up. The role is in good hands. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/i-think-chris-evans-has-got-captain-america-locked-up-the-role-is-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [“When I was laying there in his arms nothing else mattered. My parents, my lack of funds, everything just seemed to melt away as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magan-vernon/when-i-was-laying-there-in-his-arms-nothing-else-mattered-my-parents/) [Magan Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magan-vernon/) > [“I want to move my hands, but they’re fused to his rib cage. I feel his lung span, his heartbeat, his very life force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-evans/i-want-to-move-my-hands-but-they-re-fused-to-his-rib-cage-i-feel-his/) [A.D. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-evans/) > [“You look surprised. You shouldn’t be. Drew Evans doesn’t burn bridges. He sets dynamite to them. Decimating the bridge, the mountains it connects, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/you-look-surprised-you-shouldn-t-be-drew-evans-doesn-t-burn-bridges/) [Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/) > [“Why didn't they ask the Evans?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/why-didn-t-they-ask-the-evans/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Donald Evans is a favorite person of mine. His worth ethic, his attitude and his dedication really set him apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-greene/donald-evans-is-a-favorite-person-of-mine-his-worth-ethic-his/) [Joe Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-greene/) > [Jonny Evans plays sort of international football with Northern Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-thompson/jonny-evans-plays-sort-of-international-football-with-northern-ireland/) [Phil Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-thompson/) > [“Tray Fucking Evans,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tijan/tray-fucking-evans/) [Tijan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tijan/) > [Assuredly, the size of (Cadel) Evans' heart will come to be compared to Phar Lap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ramadge/assuredly-the-size-of-cadel-evans-heart-will-come-to-be-compared-to/) [Paul Ramadge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ramadge/) > [“I think I finally understand the saying like a moth to a flame. I’m the moth. My heart flutters like the paper thin wings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-evans/i-think-i-finally-understand-the-saying-like-a-moth-to-a-flame-i-m/) [A.D. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-evans/) > [“Evans made himself their spokesman. "Charlie and Joe," he offered. "Remember us? We brought a friend back with us this time." Girls evidently didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/evans-made-himself-their-spokesman-charlie-and-joe-he-offered/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [Bill Evans is a real serious jazz pianist who, in my book, crossed over boundaries in terms of color. He used the piano as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-flack/bill-evans-is-a-real-serious-jazz-pianist-who-in-my-book-crossed-over/) [Roberta Flack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberta-flack/) ## More by Laurie Halse Anderson > [“The word ghost sounds like memory. The word therapy means exorcism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/the-word-ghost-sounds-like-memory-the-word-therapy-means-exorcism/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/censorship-is-the-child-of-fear-and-the-father-of-ignorance/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“I have this halfway place, a rest stop on the road to sleep, where I can stay for hours. I don't even need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-have-this-halfway-place-a-rest-stop-on-the-road-to-sleep-where-i/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I can see us, living in the woods, her wearing that A, me with a S maybe, S for silent, S for stupid, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-can-see-us-living-in-the-woods-her-wearing-that-a-me-with-a-s-maybe/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [Eating plain toast will detonate her. "I'll have some honey." When the bread is done I scrape on a microscopic layer of it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/eating-plain-toast-will-detonate-her-i-ll-have-some-honey-when-the/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [Cutting pain was a different flavor of hurt. It made it easier not to think about having my body and my family and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/cutting-pain-was-a-different-flavor-of-hurt-it-made-it-easier-not-to/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I am learning how to be angry and sad and lonely and joyful and excited and afraid and happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-am-learning-how-to-be-angry-and-sad-and-lonely-and-joyful-and/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“Leaning against my father, the sadness finally broke open inside me, hollowing out my heart and leaving me bleeding. My feet felt rooted in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/leaning-against-my-father-the-sadness-finally-broke-open-inside-me/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I like cheeseburgers too much to be a model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-like-cheeseburgers-too-much-to-be-a-model/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I am getting better at smiling when people expect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-am-getting-better-at-smiling-when-people-expect-it/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/all-that-crap-you-hear-on-tv-about-communication-and-expressing/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I doubt trees are ever told to 'be the screwed-up ninth-grader.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-doubt-trees-are-ever-told-to-be-the-screwed-up-ninth-grader/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“It was the most eloquent silence I ever heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/it-was-the-most-eloquent-silence-i-ever-heard/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I've dealt with depression my entire life, on and off, which makes me the perfect author for teenage readers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-ve-dealt-with-depression-my-entire-life-on-and-off-which-makes-me/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“What did it feel like to die? Was it a peaceful sleep? Some thought it was full of either trumpet-blowing angels or angry devils.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/what-did-it-feel-like-to-die-was-it-a-peaceful-sleep-some-thought-it/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) [Explore all 437 Laurie Halse Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) ## More Evans quotes > [I very much looked up to Janet Evans and Summer Sanders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-coughlin/i-very-much-looked-up-to-janet-evans-and-summer-sanders/) [Natalie Coughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-coughlin/) > [“Evans made himself their spokesman. "Charlie and Joe," he offered. "Remember us? We brought a friend back with us this time." Girls evidently didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/evans-made-himself-their-spokesman-charlie-and-joe-he-offered/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“I think I finally understand the saying like a moth to a flame. I’m the moth. My heart flutters like the paper thin wings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-evans/i-think-i-finally-understand-the-saying-like-a-moth-to-a-flame-i-m/) [A.D. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-evans/) > [Assuredly, the size of (Cadel) Evans' heart will come to be compared to Phar Lap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ramadge/assuredly-the-size-of-cadel-evans-heart-will-come-to-be-compared-to/) [Paul Ramadge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ramadge/) > [“Tray Fucking Evans,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tijan/tray-fucking-evans/) [Tijan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tijan/) > [Jonny Evans plays sort of international football with Northern Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-thompson/jonny-evans-plays-sort-of-international-football-with-northern-ireland/) [Phil Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-thompson/) > [Donald Evans is a favorite person of mine. His worth ethic, his attitude and his dedication really set him apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-greene/donald-evans-is-a-favorite-person-of-mine-his-worth-ethic-his/) [Joe Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-greene/) > [“Why didn't they ask the Evans?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/why-didn-t-they-ask-the-evans/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“You look surprised. You shouldn’t be. Drew Evans doesn’t burn bridges. He sets dynamite to them. Decimating the bridge, the mountains it connects, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/you-look-surprised-you-shouldn-t-be-drew-evans-doesn-t-burn-bridges/) [Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/) > [“I want to move my hands, but they’re fused to his rib cage. I feel his lung span, his heartbeat, his very life force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-evans/i-want-to-move-my-hands-but-they-re-fused-to-his-rib-cage-i-feel-his/) [A.D. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-evans/) > [“When I was laying there in his arms nothing else mattered. My parents, my lack of funds, everything just seemed to melt away as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magan-vernon/when-i-was-laying-there-in-his-arms-nothing-else-mattered-my-parents/) [Magan Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magan-vernon/) > [ I think Chris \[Evans\] has got Captain America locked up. The role is in good hands. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/i-think-chris-evans-has-got-captain-america-locked-up-the-role-is-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [Bill Evans is a real serious jazz pianist who, in my book, crossed over boundaries in terms of color. He used the piano as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-flack/bill-evans-is-a-real-serious-jazz-pianist-who-in-my-book-crossed-over/) [Roberta Flack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberta-flack/) > [I will if you go out with me, Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-will-if-you-go-out-with-me-evans/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I first saw stand-up it was Lee Evans. Then I got into Ricky Gervais - we're both from Reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rosenthal/when-i-first-saw-stand-up-it-was-lee-evans-then-i-got-into-ricky/) [Tom Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rosenthal/) [Browse all 17 Evans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“IT happened. There is no avoiding it, no forgetting. No running away, or flying, or burying, or hiding. 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