“Allowing the art to be exhibited is speaking out. People seeing it is making connections to other survivors and to begin to heal. People who are not survivors can make connections to the issues and become more aware.”

Among the general public, survivors and their friends and family members are found in every walk of life. They are mothers, daughters, sons, fathers, people who are incarcerated, librarians, construction workers, and from all classes and racial and ethnic groups. They are immigrants and the sons and daughters of immigrants. No one is immune. Artistic and poetic self-expression are powerful ways to explore the many dimensions of human experience. This is perhaps more true of sexual violence because of the fear, shame and silence that often accompanies it.