Katie Thurston has opened up about something very personal and, unfortunately, very painful.
On Friday, the former Bachelorette lead went public with the fact that she is a victim of sexual assault.
In a candid Instagram post, Thurston detailed her experience in the aftermath of this rape, including getting a rape kit and receiving assistance from the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART).
He did not give any detailed information about the incident, not even the time when it happened.
“My pain has a purpose, my purpose has power, I want to focus on the positive,” Thurston wrote in the first slide on her account at the time, which reads:
“The justice system continues to fail victims every day. I refuse to feel defeated by the strength needed to advocate for myself. I hope my experience will help others feel the strength and support they need.”
“While I’m not ready to share my story, I do want to share the valuable resources that saved my life.”
Thurston, who previously said The Bachelorette took a major toll on her mental health, anchored the franchise in 2021.
In this latest confession, he added:
“I called 911 to report my rape. They sent an officer to take my statement and then took me to a special medical center to do a SART test…
“I felt like a little lost child, vulnerable and scared.
“They explained the whole process in detail, asked for consent, and allowed me to refuse or change my mind at any time.”
Thurston accepted Blake Moynes’ offer to finish out his season … but she then dated contestant John Hersey and Moynes broke off their engagement.
In the summer of 2022, she and Hersey separated.
Anyway, back to her horrifying experience…
“My blood was taken to check for STDs, drugs, and blood alcohol content,” Thurston wrote on social media after the attack.
“I was given Plan B, Rocephin (an injection for a bacterial infection), Azithromycin (to treat a possible STI), and Truvada and NPEP for a month (to treat a possible HIV).”
He and his followers know this work can be done at no cost to anyone in San Diego, even those without health insurance.
The former reality star said she was given digital tools to help her keep track of the results of her medical tests.
“It would take four months for my kit to complete its cycle. Nothing could be moved until it was done, so the time in between allowed me to seek mental health support,” Thurston wrote.
One particularly sensitive slide read: “I did everything I should have done as a rape victim. ‘Here are my messages, my calls, my photos, my videos, names, witnesses, locations, social media, time stamps, surveillance footage, DNA, my body.’
This slide concludes:
“The warning ‘It’s hard to be convicted in criminal court’ echoed for months, like an annoying parrot you’re forced to follow. And no matter how much I heard it, I still wasn’t ready to be stopped. And yet, without any warning, I was stopped.”
Thurston previously admitted on a 2021 Bachelorette episode that she was “involved in a situation where there was no consent” on New Year’s Eve 10 years ago, though it’s unclear if that incident is related to this one.
Thurston was a contestant on The Bachelor (as shown above) before landing the role on The Bachelorette.
In a statement given to Entertainment Tonight after her post on Instagram went viral, Katie said:
“I have had a lot of support from my community which has kept me strong over the last seven months.
“Although the outcome is disappointing, I am at peace and am turning any pain into purpose and hope to help other victims of sexual assault.”