Bachelorette alum Katie Thurston reveals the aftermath of her rape incident

Former Bachelorette student Katie Thurston blames the justice system for failing her.

Katie Thurston published a detailed post on Instagram on Friday about her experience as a rape victim and the consequences of her experience.

The post included a series of photos showing key steps of the procedure that can be performed in such unfortunate cases, adding that she had witnessed each one herself.

Her post was captioned, “I am loved. I am safe. I am supported. Resources linked in bio. ????.”

While the reality star mentioned that it happened about 10 years ago, she did not reveal the rest of the incident.

“I just want you to know that I’ve come a long way since 10 years ago and how important consent and communication are and how important it is not to make someone feel guilty for not having enough sex with them, but to make them feel guilty for not having sex with them in general.”

“My pain has meaning, my purpose has power, I want to focus on the positive,” began the first slide.

She lamented how the justice system fails rape victims, but at the same time, it gave her the strength to see each step through, from reporting the incident to seeking medical treatment to providing information.

“The justice system fails victims every day. I refuse to feel defeated by the strength it took to stand up for myself. I hope my experience helps people feel the strength and support they need,” Thurston continued. “While I’m not ready to share my story yet, I want to share the valuable resources that saved my life.”

The next slide explained how the process worked in her day. “I called 911 to report my rape. They sent an officer to take my statement and then drove me to a special medical center to do a SART,” the next slide said. Her SART included a nurse and an attorney.

“I felt like a little lost child, vulnerable and scared. They explained the process to me in detail, asked for my consent along the way, and allowed me to refuse or change my mind at any time,” she wrote.

Thurston explained the procedure step by step, going into the medical details.

“I had my blood drawn to test for STDs, drugs, and blood alcohol concentration. I was given Plan B, Rocephin (a shot for bacterial infections), Azithromycin (to treat possible STDs), and Truvada and nPEP for a month (to treat possible HIV infection),” Thurston said on the next slide, letting her followers know that in San Diego, this can be done for free for anyone, even without health insurance.

Thurston added that she has been provided with digital tools to help her track the results of her medical exams.

“It took my kit four months to complete its cycle. Nothing could move until this was done, so I was able to get psychological help in the meantime,” she wrote.

She added that therapy is another step, as is access to an attorney who she can call or text at any time if she has questions about the process.

The slides also provided information about the role of the California Victim Compensation Board, which helps victims of sexual assault and rape obtain financial compensation.

Thurston thanked her followers who helped her raise over $9,000 for RAINN in December 2023 (she and RAINN each donated $3,200 from their followers, for a total of $9,600).

Finally, she recommended the book Know My Name by Chanel Miller. “Even though I could only read it in small doses before I became nauseous, I felt affirmed in every single chapter,” said another slide.