āI TRIED TO PUSH HIM OFF, BUT I WASNāT SRONG ENOUGHā Shannon Rooney had always enjoyed going to school. Her favourite subject was music, she had plenty of friends and enjoyed performing in school plays. But, aged 15, she was sexually assaulted ā and, shockingly, the incident happened at school.
Following the attack, the once outgoing student was left anxious, depressed and unable to eat.
Shannon, now 21, from Falkirk, Scotland, has bravely waived her right to anonymity to help raise awareness.
She says, āIād always thought school was a safe place, where you are protected. You donāt think something could happen there that will alter your life.
āFor a long time afterwards, I didnāt want to leave the house because I was so scared something bad would happen ifā¦