Warning: Some may find details in this story disturbing.
A Canadian swimmer says she was left bruised and with no recollection of what happened on the final night of the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest last weekend and believes she was drugged.
Mary-Sophie Harvey finished eighth in the 200 m individual medley and helped Team Canada win silver in the 4x200 m freestyle relay. She said in an Instagram post that after the competition, she and her teammates went out for drinks to celebrate.
However, the 22-year-old Montrealer said there was a "four-to-six-hour window" that night where she couldn't remember anything. After returning home, she found a dozen bruises over her body while doctors told her she had a rib sprain and a small concussion.
Harvey spoke with CTV National News Quebec Bureau Chief Genevieve Beauchemin about the incident, her attempts at getting support, as well as the response she's received from fans who have shared similar stories. Below in a full transcript of that conversation, which has been edited for length and clarity.
Mary-Sophie Harvey: After the World Championships, I wanted to celebrate with all the swimmers. So, we all went to some restaurant, like every team, to celebrate the good meet we had. But at the same time, I was still conscious that I had another meet coming up and I still wanted to perform well. So, I still had that in mind. I was trying to be mindful about the whole situation. I wanted to enjoy myself and still be quite OK.
Anyway, I was celebrating with my friends and stuff to one point not being OK. And I remember I had like four drinks in total, the whole night. And then the next thing I remember was waking up with our team doctor and our team manager next to me at my bedside. I was really disturbed when I woke up, because I was lucid. I didn't know what happened. They all had concerning looks and they kind of explained to me what happened. And on the moment I felt so ashamed and so embarrassed, because … they were telling me a story which I was the main character in, but it didn't feel like I was in it.
They were telling me stuff and trying to, like, pick up the pieces and telling me the story bit by bit. And I was like -- I don't know, it's just completely blank. And they told me who brought me back, so of course, I called them after to (shed) some light on if they can help me figure out what happened. And it did help a little. I can't piece the whole night together. I wish I could. But there was a lot of people, so it was easy to go somewhere or whatever.
I know one of my friends -- she found me on the street and I have no memory of how I got there. She told me that I kept telling her to not leave me alone, 'Stay with me. Don't leave me alone, please.' And I kept telling her this and she was like, 'I'm not going to leave you alone.' And she brought in two other guys to help me. And I don't know when at that time, but at one point I wasn't conscious and they had to carry me to my room.
I don't know how many hours later but I woke up and I was completely lucid.
Genevieve Beauchemin: You're talking about something like a period of a four to six hours window, where you're completely -- it's lost in your mind.
Harvey: Yeah, it's a weird feeling. I can't say I've ever experienced this. It's just so scary. I've been trying so hard to kind of have memories from that night, but it's just completely blank. And the next morning, when I woke up, I kind of like didn't really think about the whole thing too much. I was just feeling really embarrassed.
I took the plane, like, right after I woke up. Packed my bag, took the plane, did the whole travel day back home. It was not until I got home to my apartment and took off my clothes to take a shower after the travel day that I realized all the bruises I had all over my body. And it kind of like made me realize that that was not OK and what happened was not OK. And that's when I started to, kind of, be scared a little bit on the 'What if?'
Beauchemin: I'm sure you mean, what if you were assaulted? What were the questions that went through your mind?
Harvey: Yeah, exactly. For most of it, they told me I was with people, which I'm thankful for, because who knows what would have happened if I was by myself? But, I'm still scared of some of the answers I don't have and no one has. Like, how did I get in the streets? It's just these parts that are, like, really scary. And some of the bruises, the placement of them. It's just … it was scary.
Beauchemin: When did you conclude that you had been drugged? And do you understand how it happened or when it might have happened?
Harvey: The thing about this -- it's such a common thing, which is sad to say. It's such a common thing and it happens to so many people. After I posted… I've received so many messages from girls, women and guys, sharing their stories and telling me like that they felt the exact same way. It shouldn't be like that. Like, it shouldn't be normalized. And I was like having all of these yet, I don't hear it at all. And I tried to research it and have statistics on this and have resources on this. We don't have any, or we don't have enough.
Because after I got home … I went to practice the next morning and I didn't really feel that good. And I went on to training and then I called my friend, who knew about the situation and I knew her mom was a doctor. So I called them and I was a bit lost on what to do. What should I do? I was still a bit confused and they kind of reassured me that it was not my fault, because I felt like it was. They pushed me to call this line that specialized in this in Montreal and which I did. And that's actually one of the other reason why I posted this. I was shocked by the lack of resources we have on this situation.
Basically, I called the line and it was not really helpful. I was a bit lost on what to do. I tried to say my story, but it's hard to tell a stories like this because it's just bits and pieces and you're trying to navigate through this, but it's just so confusing. I asked her at the end, like, what should I do? Because I'm lost. She told me that there's only two places in Montreal that can deal with these types of situations. There's one hospital where you can go to the emergency (room), but she said that she wouldn't recommend doing this.
And then there's a clinic for this. I asked her to give me like the number or something that I can reach (the clinic). And after the call, I called the clinic and it was closed and it was like nine o'clock. It was closed. I left my info and it took them two days to reply. For someone that knows 100 per cent that they got sexually assaulted, I can't even imagine to wait two days. It's not OK. And it just made me sad, but at the same time, I'm like, we need to do better. We need to be better because these situation happens so often.
Beauchemin: You talked about that the weakness of not feeling like yourself. How do you feel now?
Harvey: I feel a little better. I think the Mary from last week wouldn't have been able to talk to media and post what I posted yesterday. I think I'm getting through it day by day. Surprisingly swimming kind of help. It was kind of therapeutic in some ways just like shut everything down and just do my thing. I think it takes time.
So many people reached out to me, right? And it just it broke my heart because their stories, they were like, still ashamed after eight years of their incident and stuff like that. And I kept telling them, 'It's not your fault, you didn't ask for it and you shouldn't feel ashamed for it.' And it took me a while to realize that I should listen to what I'm telling them, that I shouldn't be ashamed for what happened and I need to be OK with it.
Beauchemin: You're speaking of with this courage and it's great to hear you to share your story because, as you say it, happens all too often. What is the message you want to pass on to young women, young men? What is that? What is the message you want people to know?
Harvey: I think it's to be careful. I feel like we should talk about it a bit more, even in school. It sounds crazy. But, like, just tell people that it can happen to anyone. I thought I was safe because I was with a bunch of like friends and thought, 'Oh it's fine, It won't happen to me because I'm surrounded by people I know.' But it did happen and it's scary.
If my story can help just one person be more careful or someone that thinks about doing it … then I'm glad I did share it because people need to know that it's not okay.
Beauchemin: Do you remember anything suspicious? Is there anything at all that comes to mind?
Harvey: That's the thing. I know I had four drinks. The thing is -- probably what happen is I was not holding my drink the whole time. I was dancing as well. So, it was on a table. So, that's my take on this. That's like what I can think of because I don't know what else.
Beauchemin: I guess that's the message to people. They think that they'll be able to spot it, but it happens.
Harvey: It happens and you don't even realize it and it's like six hours later. It's not a good feeling and I wish it didn't happen that often, honestly,
Beauchemin: The fact that people look up to athletes of your calibre and look up to you, and I think the fact that you're speaking out -- what do you hope now? That things may change?
Harvey: Yeah, I really hope so. I hope that if my story can help in some way prevent some events in the future to happen. I hope so I hope we get more resources. I hope that victims don't feel ashamed like a lot of people do at the moment. Because we shouldn't be ashamed of something we didn't ask for.
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