Megan Thee Stallion addresses Tory Lanez guilty verdict for the first and last time

Three years after rapper Megan Thee Stallion was shot multiple times by fellow rapper Tory Lanez, she’s finally giving her side of the story for the first and last time.

In an essay written by the artist, she calls herself a survivor rather than a victim and speaks out on the effects the traumatic experience had on her, including the hate she received from those who believed she was lying.

Megan doesn’t see herself as a victim

“I don’t want to call myself a victim. As I reflect on the past three years, I view myself as a survivor, because I have truly survived the unimaginable,” Megan began her essay on Elle.

The rapper was attacked on the night of July 12, 2020, when her friend at the time, Tory Lanez, assaulted her, shooting her in the feet multiple times as she was leaving a pool party at Kylie Jenner’s house.

In December 2022, Lanez was found guilty of assault with a semiautomatic firearm; possession of a concealed, unregistered firearm, and negligent discharge of a firearm.

Final sentencing was first postponed until April 10, only to be postponed again until May 1, 2023, after Lanez’s defense team said they planned to file a supplemental response to the motion.

After his guilty verdict in December, he now faces up to 22 years and 8 months in prison.

Attacks on her character

In the time since the shooting and leading up to the trial, Megan has faced countless attacks on her character, saying that she was lying about the situation, or downplaying the extent of her injuries.

“Not only did I survive being shot by someone I trusted and considered a close friend, but I overcame the public humiliation of having my name and reputation dragged through the mud by that individual for the entire world to see,” she wrote.

“Imagine how it feels to be called a liar every day? Especially from a person who was once part of your inner circle,”

Since the attack, the rapper says she now understands why women who are victims of violence don’t come forward.

“It never crossed my mind that people wouldn’t believe me,” she said, as conspiracy theories on what happened the night she was shot started taking off on social media, along with hate and derogatory comments made her way.

“When the guilty verdict came on Dec. 23, 2022, it was more than just vindication for me, it was a victory for every woman who has ever been shamed, dismissed, and blamed for a violent crime committed against them.”

“Time after time, women are bullied with backlash for speaking out against their attackers, especially when they’re accusing someone who is famous and wealthy. They’re often accused of lying or attempting to make money from their trauma.

“From firsthand experience, I know why a lot of women don’t come forward. Any support and empathy that I received was drowned out by overwhelming doubt and criticism from so many others.”

In her essay, she added an inspiring note for victims of violence to know that their feelings are valid, with a call to “provide stronger resources for women to recover from these tragedies physically and emotionally, without fear of judgment.”

She ends her essay with a call to action, saying: “We must do more than say her name. We must protect all women who have survived the unimaginable.”