Episode 97: We Are Nothing
Editor: Annie LaHueReleased: 9 February 2020Content warning: themes of sexual assault, rape, abuse
Apollo tries to talk about his “feelings” for Persephone. The panels where he is speaking are dark and although his expressions and the position of his hands convey a sense of earnestness, there is an overwhelming feeling of manipulation and darkness. Apollo reveals himself to be completely full of himself and imagines a future where they could be the next power couple of Olympus. He claims he is powerful and popular enough to elevate her status to Olympian.
"Let me make this clear. I don’t like you. I don’t want you. I don’t want to be with you. You don’t know anything about me. We are not in a relationship.”
Persephone
Persephone interrupts him; temporarily stunning him with simple questions about herself, such as asking him when her birthday is or the things she likes. Apollo can’t answer any of the questions right. Even as Persephone uses clear and simple language with him in denying that they have any relationship and that she has any feelings for him, he still doesn’t understand. She clarifies how she felt about that night and Apollo is not receptive. The future he’s imagining is not what she wants.
Because he can’t seem to hear what she’s telling him, Persephone decides to show him. She leads him up to her room with him continuing to expound on how popular and powerful he is. He’s a sun god but not a god of reading body language and situational context, apparently. He has the audacity to sit on her bed as she shows him what she thinks of him, handing him his ruined lyre.
Contributor’s Note:
This episode is a struggle to read as it’s always hard to see a victim confront their abuser without support. The process of a victim disclosing how they feel about an attack to their abuser can be an important step in their journey to mental health.
Should you be in the situation to confront an abuser, it is strongly recommended that you discuss it at length with a therapist and plan the encounter. Write notes on what you want to communicate, choose a location you feel safe, and have a way to stay safe and maintain control over the situation. Always take a friend with you, even if they wait in the car or in another room, having someone there to support you will help make you feel more comfortable. Set up a meeting somewhere you feel safe and can speak freely. You also do not need to confront your abuser in person. Symbolically writing them a letter to tell them how you feel can also be helpful. Sometimes, these discussions may not feel like they accomplished much, but being able to alleviate some frustration from yourself through disclosure can still be helpful.
In the context of this story, the choice of when to confront her attacker is taken away from Persephone on multiple occasions. Persephone was able to set boundaries with Apollo for future interactions, but they are made out of respect for Artemis and the appearance of being polite to Apollo. Restricting his access to her home is helpful but the reality is he should not be allowed in the home at all because of his relationship with Artemis. Seeing Persephone be so unsupported and unsafe in her own home is heartbreaking.
RELATED ARTICLES:
Recovering from Sexual Violence | RAINN.org
Recovering from Rape & Mental Trauma | HelpGuide
Surviving and Healing after Rape | VeryWellHealth
There Is No Right Way to Respond to Sexual Assault | TheAtlantic
Life After Rape | GoodTherapy
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