The following is a blog post submitted by K Staller. 

This past week and the preceding year have been hard. It has been a struggle to comprehend the abuses that transpired at the place that has brought us all so much joy over the years. Even more so it has been hard to comprehend how only some of those in power are only just now being held somewhat accountable for their actions despite all of the reporting and stories coming to light.

I know I am finding it incredibly difficult to process as things evolve almost daily. I have been struggling with the demons of my own trauma for 10 years now. I have learnt a lot about myself in those 10 years and as terrifying and horrible as the trauma itself was, I survived with only the deep emotional scars now remaining all this time later.

In the weeks following my trauma I returned to the place it happened, a place that, like the stadium, had given me so many happy and great memories. I did it with a heavy heart full of fear and trepidation, but I also did it to support my friend and fellow survivor and to help support myself and to show ourselves that despite what happened to us, we were stronger than we knew and because nobody should have to return to the place of their trauma without support.

Not everyone can return to the place of their trauma and not everyone has the choice. For the players of our team, this is the unfortunate reality of their situation, they will return to the stadium and they will play despite everything that has happened to their and will people in power still are yet to face the consequences of theirs actions.

My hope is that we who are able, show our team that we will always love and support them, even in the most trying of times by being inside that stadium with them and letting the whole world know are with them through all the good and especially the bad.

Because This Club Belongs To Us.

Views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect those of the 107IST, the Timbers Army, or the Rose City Riveters.