Cru & A | Lexi Smock

Smock Cru & A

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 What is your career goal and why?    
My career goal is to become an acrobatics and tumbling coach. When I look back on my life and think about who has influenced me the most, it'd be my coaches. I would love to mentor young women!


   Why did you choose UMHB?   
I originally was in school in West Virginia competing in Acrobatics & Tumbling. When I saw a program opened up close to home (Waco) with my former coach, I knew I wanted to join. I felt like I was meant to be here.


Tell us about your assault.
In 2007, my dad's boss at the time was a good family friend of ours. My dad would do extra work for them for extra money around their house. The first time I remember being assaulted was when his kids and I were playing hide and seek. When it was my turn to count in the living room, my dad's former boss forced me to watch explicit adult content. Then told me it was time for me to play hide and seek with him in his room. He locked me in the bathroom with him and removed my clothes. He proceeded to make me touch him inappropriately in several ways. I still remember to this day how scared and helpless I felt. The next day I came home and my sister asked why I was crying. I told her I knew what was happening was wrong but we swore to never talk about it again. The next time we went to their house it happened to her, which I didn't find out until months later. Things proceeded to happen to both of us, and things progressed to even when we weren't at their house. I let this go on for months with no one knowing. It wasn't until 3rd grade when the school was teaching us about what to do in these situations. I waited until all the kids left the room and began crying and told the teacher this was happening to me. I got home from school that day and my dad was so furious. He was not only betrayed by his boss but disgusted with the fact that any person could do this to a young girl but to his own daughters. I thought it was my fault, and I shut down for years. I lost all trust with any men and still to this day I'm trying to gain that back. I still am terrified to finish a test last and be the last student alone. And I still suffer from nightmares.


What would be your message to others who have experienced something similar?
This has made me a stronger person with no doubt. It has made me not be oblivious to things that could be going on in everyday life. My freshmen year of college I got a tattoo on my right wrist symbolizing that I have survived from an assault. It also shows young women that if they are going through any sort of similar situation, they can come to me for a support and a safe spot. I put that on my Twitter as well and had about 20! Yes 20 women come to me just wanting to talk and know they aren't alone! My message to anyone going through this is that you can't get rid of what happened to you, but you can get stronger. Pray God will look out for you, give you healing, and comfort. And the pain might always be there, but you aren't ever alone.


If you are a UMHB student and would like to report an assault, click here. 
If you would like more information about UMHB's counseling services, click here. 
UMHB's Never Walk Alone program runs through the campus police department and escorts students to places on campus. There is someone on duty 24/7 to provide students a safe escort. To utilize the program, call Campus Police at 254-295-5555. 


To catch up on previous Cru & A's, click here. 
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