#BeenRapedNeverReported: Gut-wrenching stories shared in wake of Ghomeshi scandal

One of the big questions that has arisen in the wake of the Jian Ghomeshi scandal, posed to the women who have come forward, has been, "Why didn't you go the police?"

No charges have been filed against the former CBC Radio host, despite the growing number of women accusing him of unwanted sexual violence.

With nothing currently under official investigation, a day in court for Jian Ghomeshi seems, at best, a very remote possibility. That has led to questions of why these women are only speaking up now instead of when the attacks allegedly occurred, and why they're speaking to reporters and not the police.

It's a complicated situation, but the bottom line is that a majority of sexual assault victims do not go to the police for a variety of reasons. A trial will typically require them to relive their trauma; they may fear retribution and further violence; they may (rightly) believe that a he-said / she-said case will end in acquittal.

Their fears are backed up by the evidence. In fact, the YWCA of Canada says that of every 1,000 sexual assaults in Canada, only 33 are reported to the police, and only 3 end in conviction.

In defence of the thousands of women — and men — who never reported their assault to the police, journalists Antonia Zerbisias and Sue Montgomery launched #BeenRapedNeverReported on Twitter, leading to a flood of powerful admissions by victims, many of whom explained why they didn't report.

We've collected several below.

Warning: These stories honestly depict a variety of sexual assaults, and may be disturbing.

For more emotional responses to the story that has captivated Canada this week, flip through this gallery and be sure to follow our complete coverage of the story on Yahoo Canada News.