The phrase "was exposed to" refers to a person's contact with something, whether it's an idea, a substance, or an experience. There are several synonyms for this phrase, including "was subjected to," "had contact with," "came into contact with," "was introduced to," and "encountered." Each of these phrases suggests a different degree of agency on the part of the person being exposed, from the passive "was subjected to" to the more active "encountered." Regardless of which phrase is used, the implication is that the person's exposure had an impact of some kind, whether positive, negative, or neutral.