I just saw the angel effect on nat geo and I'm happy to find a forum where we can share our experiences. I was only 14 when it happened to me and I've often wondered whether others had similar experiences. I was fortunate enough to have this spiritual encounter that has really been a healing and encouraging force in my life ever since. I am not religious at all and in fact I am very "turned off" by religion in general. However, I do consider myself spiritual but I definitely was not spiritual when I was 14! Anyway, sorry to be so direct with my tragic circumstances but it's necessary to relay my experience. I was only 14 and being raped while my rapist held a gun to my head and played the so-called game, russian roulette. I thought it was very likely I could die but I was actually quite unafraid because unfortunately I had been a victim of life threatening assaults before and had very little will to live. I was still afraid, just nothing like the intense fear I've read others had before their encounters. About an hour or so after the rape began, a feeling came over me and I noticed around the window to my right what seemed like a very bright light. It was night time and I instantly knew my rapist (and the man in the bed next to us) could not see the light and I did not point it out. In the same instant, the most wonderful and indescribable feeling overcame my entire body and being, really. The feeling was of great comfort and the best word to describe it is love. Then I heard a voice that I can't say I heard with my ears, but rather with my brain or just internally somehow. The voice was very calm and loving and feminine. She told me not to worry because whether I lived or died, I would be okay. I can't begin to describe how such simple words "you will be okay" profoundly affected me. She did not need to say anything more because as soon as she said it I was basically shown (for lack of a better term) how I would be okay either way and I immediately knew I had nothing to fear and that something so wonderful and so much greater than we can comprehend was actually real and loved me more than I could imagine. The experience must have lasted only about a minute and the rapes continued throughout the night. Although I was in great peace while the presence was there, I was still upset, miserable, etc after the presence left. However, the experience has provided me with amazing strength and motivation in the 18 years since it happened. And the memory is still very clear and something I am so thankful to have experienced. It is very strange to say this, but if I had a choice, I would prefer to endure the awful experience I went through in order to live my life with the spiritual awareness I gleaned from the encounter, rather than go through life with neither of the experiences. I hope what I've said makes sense since it is very difficult to put this into words. I don't ever talk about what happened to me because I feel like others would either diminish my experience by assuming it was shock, or think I am trying to spew religious values or something. Anyway, it's nice to finally share this experience with others that have been through similar encounters!