“The justice system has let me down”

Katie Thurston, who appeared in season 17 of The Bacheloretteannounced in a social media post on Saturday that she was raped.

“I have received a lot of support from my community over the past seven months, which has allowed me to stay strong,” the reality TV star told EW. “Although the outcome is disappointing, I am at peace and turning every pain into meaning and hope to help other victims of sexual assault.”

In an Instagram post, Thurston shared several resources that helped her cope with the pain, adding that her case was abruptly closed, noting that “the justice system failed me.”

“I did everything I should have done as a rape victim,” Katie wrote in her post. “‘Here are my texts, my calls, my photos, my videos, witness names, locations, social media, timestamps, surveillance footage, DNA, my body.’ The warning that ‘a guilty verdict is harsh in criminal court’ echoed through the months like an annoying parrot to be remembered. And no matter how many times I heard it, I wasn’t ready to let it stop me. And yet, without warning, I was.”

In her now-expired Instagram story, Katie wrote: “It took 7 months for the San Diego justice system to fail me as a rape victim.”

On the first page of her post, Katie wrote, “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. While I’m not ready to share my story yet, I want to share the valuable resources that saved my life.”