When I was 14, I stayed the night at my friend Alina’s house and spotted a small red blinking light in the corner of her room. Panicked, I threw a blanket over it. Her dad burst in, angry, claiming it was a “heat sensor”—but the way he snapped, the way it was aimed at her bed, didn’t sit right. I left the next morning, uneasy, and never went back. I didn’t tell anyone. We remained school friends, but that night haunted me.

Three years later, I saw a news headline: Alina’s dad had been arrested for secretly recording people in his home—bedrooms, bathrooms, everything. A relative had turned him in. I felt sick. I worried for Alina, who had vanished from social media. Had I been filmed too? Should I have told someone back then?

Years passed. Then, in college, I got a message—it was Alina. She told me that after I covered the “sensor,” her dad grew paranoid and moved equipment, accidentally exposing wires she later found. That discovery led her to the footage, and with help from her cousin, she brought it to the police. Her father went to prison. She and her mom moved. And now, Alina was speaking publicly, helping other girls find their voice.

Her courage inspired me. I started volunteering at a youth shelter, sharing just enough of my story to remind girls that fear can be powerful—and that trusting your gut can save lives. Sometimes, a simple act—like covering a blinking light—isn’t just instinct. It’s the first step in someone else’s escape.