Trigger warning: this article contains information about sexual assault, which may be triggering to survivors.

Abigail Breslin is bravely speaking out about her experience with sexual assault, in order to "break the silence" surrounding this huge issue and clear up some major misconceptions about consent. Too often, it is suggested that assaults can only be perpetrated by a predatory stranger. Yet statistically speaking, women are more likely to experience sexual violence from someone they know – and that's the case for Abigail.

The Scream Queens actress posted a text post on her Instagram which reads, "consent II: you are not obligated to have sex with someone you're in a relationship with/ dating is not consent/ marriage is not consent."

"I knew my assailant. #SexualAssaultAwarenessMonth #breakthesilence," Abigail captioned her photo.

Abigail's words assert a major point: just because you are dating someone – or even married to them – does not mean you have given up your rights to consent and are obligated to do anything you don't want to do. You should never be pressured into doing anything you're not comfortable with, no matter how long you've known the person.

After sharing her story, Abigail was met with a wave of messages of support from her fans, friends, and actors alike. Many survivors shared their own stories with Abigail, and thanked her for speaking out.

Stars like Sarah Hyland, Debra Messing, Suraj Partha, and more shared encouraging words for Abigail on Twitter, reminding her that sharing her story will help so many other people who may be going through a similar situation.

We're proud of Abigail for sharing her story and opening up an important conversation.

If you or a friend has experienced sexual assault, you can find help by calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or find more resources from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center at nsvrc.org.

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This post was written by Kristine Hope Kowalski. For more fashion, beauty, and lifestyle news, check out our sister site, Twist magazine.

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