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Teen creates website for other teens to share stories of sexual assault

The 'Me Too' movement sparked something in a Boulder teen. She wanted to make sure young adults and teens had a space of their own to come forward and the Me Too Teen Project was born.
Credit: KUSA

The stories begin like any other teenage story.

"I was 9 years old and my mom made me chocolate chip pancakes," Isabella Cohn, a sophomore at Boulder's Watershed School, read.

They are innocent and unassuming.

"I fell asleep excited for the sun to come back up," reads another.

But the stories Cohn asked for do not continue with these kinds of details.

Izzy Cohn, 15, wants to share the stories people don't like to hear.

"He kept touching me and he wouldn't stop," she read from another story.

"I am 15 years old, I have been raped, molested and physically abused since birth," says another.

About a year ago, Cohn started the "Me Too Teen Project." It's a website where teens can share anonymous stories about sexual assault.

"I thought it was mainly adults who had the mindset and the capability and the gut to come forward, but that is not true," said Cohn. "There's so many teens out there, and young adults who have just as much if not more, courage than adults to come forward."

Cohn started the project as a way to create a platform when she competed for Miss Colorado's Outstanding teen.

She didn't know the stories would start coming from around the world -- and she would actually make a difference.

"There are people who want to hear your story," she said. "And there are people who believe you, even if they're in other countries."

Cohn is hosting a Winter Formal dance on Saturday, Dec. 1 to raise money for organizations that treat and support sexual assault. You can buy tickets here: bit.ly/2FJwvAz

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