[ APPLAUSE ]
>>> TODAY, WE BEGIN OUR SERIES,
"I SURVIVED," BRINGING YOU
STORIES OF PEOPLE WHO OVERCAME
THE ODDS IN THE FACE OF
LIFE-THREATENING EVENTS.
IN 1993 NATASHA WAS A CARE-FREE
23-YEAR-OLD LIVING IN NEW YORK
CITY WHEN SHE WAS BRUTALLY
ATTACKED.
HERE'S HER STORY OF SURVIVAL.
>> I'M AN AUTHOR, SURVIVOR AND
FOUNDER-NATASHA'S JUSTICE
PROJECT.
I WAS A STUDENT GOING TO COLLEGE
IN MANHATTAN.
I WAS IN THE CITY OF MY DREAMS.
IT WAS SOMETHING I HAD DREAMT OF
MY ENTIRE LIFE.
I FELT SAFE.
ON AUGUST 6th OF 1993, I WAS
WALKING HOME.
AND I WENT TO MY APARTMENT LIKE
I DID EVERY DAY.
NEXT THING I KNEW, THERE WAS A
MAN HOLDING A GUN TO ME.
WE WERE IN, YOU KNOW, THE FOYER
OF MY APARTMENT BUILDING.
AT THAT MOMENT, I DECIDED TO DO
WHATEVER HE TOLD ME TO IN ORDER
TO STAY ALIVE.
HE ASKED IF WE HAD A ROOF.
AND I SAID WE DID.
THE ENTIRE TIME, WE'RE RIDING UP
THE ELEVATOR, HE HAS A GUN TO MY
HEAD.
HE'S THREATENING TO KILL ME.
AND I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING
TO HAPPEN.
THE ROOF WAS LOCKED.
THERE WAS A LANDING.
HE TOLD ME TO TAKE OFF ALL MY
CLOTHES.
I'M THINKING, HE'S GOING TO ROB
ME.
AND THEN, HE IS EITHER GOING TO
KILL ME BECAUSE I SAW HIS FACE
OR HE IS GOING TO JUST RUN AWAY.
NOT THINKING THAT RAPE WAS PART
OF THIS HORRIFIC NIGHT.
BUT IT WAS.
NOT ONLY WAS I AFRAID FOR MY
LIFE, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WAS
BEING VIOLATED.
AND I WAS EXPOSED, COMPLETELY
EXPOSED.
TIME KIND OF WARPS ITSELF.
WAS IT FIVE MINUTES?
WAS IT TEN HOURS?
I DON'T THINK MY BRAIN HAS BEEN
ABLE TO COMPREHEND THE LENGTH OF
TIME.
HE TOLD ME TO PUT MY CLOTHES
BACK ON.
I HAD THIS GUN ON ME THE ENTIRE
TIME.
SO, ALL OF A SUDDEN, I'M
THINKING, OKAY, THIS IS IT.
AND I STARTED PICTURING MY DEAD
BODY.
AND HE TOLD ME TO COUNT TO TEN
AND LEFT.
>> NATASHA WRITES ABOUT HER
ORDEAL AND MORE IN A NEW BOOK
CALLED "A SURVIVOR'S JOURNEY,
FROM VICTIM TO ADVOCATE."
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> HOW DID HE GET IN THAT
VESTIBULE WITH YOU IN YOUR
APARTMENT BUILDING?
>> TO THIS DAY, I TRY TO GO OVER
THE DETAILS AND I REALLY DON'T
KNOW.
IT JUST HAPPENED SO QUICKLY.
>> YOU OPENED WITH A KEY AND YOU
GO INTO THAT LITTLE AREA BEFORE
YOU GET IN THE SECOND DOOR.
>> CORRECT.
>> AND SUDDENLY, HE WAS BEHIND
ME.
>> IT WAS LIKE HE APPEARED OUT
OF NOWHERE.
YES.
THERE HE WAS.
>> AND I KNOW YOU WRITE IN THE
BOOK ABOUT HOW YOUR MOTHER MAD
TAUGHT YOU THE LESSON OF BEING
AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS
WALKING DOWN THE STREET.
YOU KNOW HOW IT IS.
NOT EVERY TIME, YOU SLIP.
THERE HE WAS.
IS IT TRUE HE SHOWED YOU THE
BULLETS OF THE GUN?
>> YES, HE DID.
IN FACT, I REMEMBER THE GUN WITH
SUCH CLARITY.
AND I THINK WHAT WAS REALLY
DIFFICULT ABOUT THE ORDEAL WAS
NOT BEING ABLE TO RECOLLECT HIS
FACE BUT HAVING -- I MEAN, RIGHT
NOW IF I CLOSE MY EYES, I CAN
PICTURE THAT GUN AS IF I JUST
SAW IT YESTERDAY.
BUT HIS FACE HAS ELUDED ME
SOMEHOW.
>> DO YOU BELIEVE IF YOU HADN'T
GONE ALONG WITH WHAT HE WAS
ORDERING YOU TO DO, THE RAPE, HE
WOULD HAVE KILLED YOU?
>> I'M PRETTY CERTAIN THAT WOULD
BE THE CASE.
DEFINITELY.
>> DO YOU BELIEVE THE RAPE IN A
WAY, THE WAY YOU HANDLED HIS
DESIRE TO RAPE YOU SAVED YOUR
LIFE?
>> I CAN'T SPECULATE.
BUT I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO
COOPERATE IN ORDER TO STAY
ALIVE.
THAT WAS MY METHOD OF
SELF-PRESERVATION.
TO ENSURE I DIDN'T ANGER HIM
ANYMORE BECAUSE HE WOULD GO FROM
BEING VERY RELAXED TO VERY
ANGRY.
IT WAS LIKE REALLY HARD TO
PREDICT WHERE HE WOULD BE.
AND I NOTICED AS LONG AS I WAS
COOPERATING WITH HIM, AS LONG AS
I WAS FOLLOWING HIS DIRECTIONS,
IT KIND OF KEPT THAT ANGER AT
BAY TO SOME EXTENT.
>> HE MADE YOU TAKE OFF YOUR
CLOTHES.
HE MADE YOU TAKE OFF YOUR CROSS.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT
MOMENT.
>> THAT WAS DIFFICULT.
MY FATHER PASSED AWAY WHEN I WAS
8 YEARS OLD.
AND THE LAST THING I HAD FROM
HIM WAS THIS GOLD CROSS THAT I
WORE EVERY DAY.
I REMEMBER THAT MOMENT HAVING
THAT CROSS RIPPED AWAY FROM MY
NECK.
IT WAS SUCH AN IMPORTANT THING
THAT I CARRIED ALONG WITH ME.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS ALL PART OF
THE SURVIVAL THAT I WENT
THROUGH.
YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE HEARD THAT
MY CROSS HAD BEEN TAKEN AWAY
FROM ME, PEOPLE CAME OUT OF
NOWHERE, GIVING ME CROSSES.
>> I KNOW YOU FELT IN THE MIDST
OF THAT HORROR THERE WAS A LIGHT
SHINING ON YOU THAT THERE WAS
SOME SORT OF PROTECTION WITH
YOU.
>> YES.
AND IT'S HARD TO GIVE THAT A
NAME.
BUT I CERTAINLY FELT THAT I WAS
WASN'T ALONE IN THAT MOMENT.
IF YOU WERE TO TELL ME WHAT IT
FELT LIKE IN THAT MOMENT.
BUT I FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS
ALMOST HOLDING ME AND JUST
KEEPING ME SAFE.
WHATEVER WAY YOU WANT TO LOOK AT
IT, THAT VOICE IN SIDE OF YOU OR
GOD OR WHATEVER THAT HIGHER
POWER IS, DEFINITELY CONTINUING
TO FEEL THAT WITH ME TO THIS
DAY.
AND THAT'S BEEN SUCH A PART OF
MY JOURNEY.
>> SO, SHE GOT THROUGH THIS
HORROR.
BUT THAT WAS NOT THE END OF HER
STORY.
A DECADE AFTER NATASHA'S RAPE,
SHE RECEIVED A PHONE
>>> I REALLY WANTED TO DO ALL I
COULD TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE
COULD FIND THIS MONSTER THAT
DECIDED TO SNATCH ME FROM THE
STREETS.
THE POLICE SAID THEY WOULD
CONTINUE TO STAY IN TOUCH.
AFTER SOME TIME THEY SAID, WE'RE
SORRY, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THIS
CASE.
WE'VE EXHAUSTED ALL LEADS.
AND THAT'S IT.
>> THAT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AFTER
NATASHA WAS RAPED AT GUNPOINT.
SHE WAS JUST 20 YEARS OLD AT THE
TIME.
SHE SHARES HER STORY OF SURVIVAL
IN A NEW BOOK, "A SURVIVOR'S
STORY: FROM VICTIM TO ADVOCATE."
YOU'RE THERE A YEAR AFTER WITH,
IT'S DONE, WE DIDN'T FIND HIM.
AND TEN YEARS AFTER, WHAT
CHANGED?
>> TEN YEARS AFTER, I GOT A CALL
FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE IN MANHATTAN.
AND THEY SAID, HERE'S NEWS.
WE DIDN'T GET AROUND TO TESTING
YOUR RAPE KIT.
AND WE ARE NOW ABOUT TO TEST
YOUR RAPE KIT.
MINE WAS 1 OF 17,000 RAPE KITS
IN NEW YORK CITY FROM 2000 TO
2003, THAT NEW YORK CITY TESTED.
>> AND THEY GOT A HIT?
>> THEY DIDN'T GET A HIT
IMMEDIATELY.
WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO
BECAUSE AT THAT TIME THERE WAS A
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
SO, WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS A
JOHN DOE INDICTMENT.
BASICALLY, YOU WOULD CHARGE
THE --
>> IT'S A PROCEDURAL THING,
MEANT TO HOLD THE STATUTE FROM
EXPIRING.
>> EXACTLY.
>> WHEN DID THEY GET A HIT ON
HIS DNA?
>> I WAS RAPED AUGUST 6th, 1993,
THEY GOT A HIT AUGUST 6th, 2007.
>> WAS THERE A TRIAL?
>> THERE WAS A TRIAL.
>> YOU TESTIFIED?
>> I DID.
IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT.
CERTAINLY, IT WAS A MOMENT WHERE
THE POWER WAS BACK IN MY HANDS.
WHEN I SAW THE MAN WHO RAPED ME,
IT WAS A IF NO TIME HAD PASSED
AND EVEN THOUGH, IN MY HEAD, I
KNEW I WAS SAFE, MY BODY WAS
LIKE, GET OUT OF THERE.
AND I PASSED OUT.
I PASSED OUT IN THE COURTROOM.
IT WAS JUST LIKE HE WAS THERE IN
FRONT OF ME.
INSTINCTIVELY I KNEW THAT WAS A
MAN WHO CAUSED SO MUCH PAIN IN
MY LIFE.
>> HE WAS CONVICTED.
HE IS SENTENCED TO STAY IN
PRISON UNTIL WHAT YEAR?
>> HE'S INPRISON.
>> THE STORY IS BIGGER THAN
THAT.
NOW, YOU VOTED YOUR LIFE TO
ADVOCACY FOR RAPE VICTIMS, RAPE
SURVIVORS, WHOSE RAPE KIT TESTS
IN MANY STATES, ESPECIALLY NOW,
THANKS TO YOU, NOT SO MUCH IN
NEW YORK, BUT IN MANY STATES,
ARE SITTING ON SHELVES.
CAN YOU GIVE US A INDICATION OF
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM.
>> WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY RAPE
KITS REMAIN UNPROCESSED IN THIS
NATION.
WE'RE FINDING OUT ON A REGULAR
BASIS, THERE WERE ALL THESE
JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE UNTESTED
RAPE KITS.
>> IT COSTS 1,000, 1,500 BUCKS
TO TEST EACH CUT, AND THEY'RE
NOT ALLOCATING THE FUNDS.
>> ON TOP OF THAT, YOU HAVE TO
RECOGNIZE EVERY RAPE KIT
REPRESENTS A HUMAN BEING WHOSE
BODY WAS A CRIME SCENE, A STORY
THAT WAS ON A NATIONWIDE CRIME
SPREE.
HE COMMITTED CRIMES IN SEVEN
STATES ACROSS THIS NATION.
1,000 TO 1,500, HOW MUCH DID IT
COST US, AS TAXPAYERS, AS
SURVIVORS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT,
WHAT KIND OF BURDEN THAT PUT ON
US.
>> THAT'S HOW YOU HAVE TO PHRASE
IT TO GET ATTENTION.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, HOW MUCH WAS
YOUR BODY WORTH?
HOW MUCH WAS THIS TURMOIL WORTH?
WAS IT WORTH $1,000 TO THE
STATE?
COULD WE FIND THE MONEY IS
SOMEHOW TO TEST THESE RAPE KITS
THAT THE WOMEN GIVE.
THEY'RE NOT PLEASANT TO GO
THROUGH.
>> CERTAINLY NOT.
>> AND YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM
RIGHT AFTER YOU HAVE BEEN RAPED.
>> EXACTLY.
>> I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN CALLING
ATTENTION TO IT, SO IS MARISKA
HARGITAY.
WE'RE DOING BETTER IN NEW YORK.
SOME STATES AREN'T DOING IT AT
ALL.
THANK YOU FOR TELLING YOUR
STORY.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME AND
ALLOWING ME TO SHARE BUT SHARING
THE STORY OF SO MANY OTHER
SURVIVORS, ESPECIALLY DURING
SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH.
>> AND CHECK OUT THE BOOK.