Student survivors and activists have worked tirelessly to place campus sexual assault on the national agenda. Colleges and universities’ refusal to competently address campus rape culture has further normalized it, and John Hopkins University is no exception. Student activists are holding these institutions accountable for their failure to comply with federal law and prioritize students’ […]
The Reality of Rape in the Gay Guy Community
In a patriarchal society, rigid, binary gender roles can inhibit male survivors of sexual violence from identifying themselves as victims and expressing the range of emotions that may follow a traumatic event. It is estimated that 1 in 33 adult men in the United States are victims of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault. Despite […]
Seeking Justice for Domestic Violence Victims/Survivors through Public Healing Space
In Jacksonville, Florida, in 2012, Marissa Alexander was sentenced to twenty years in prison for firing a single warning shot in the air to protect herself and her nine-day old infant from her abusive husband. Florida’s infamous “Stand Your Ground” law which allowed George Zimmerman, a neighborhood vigilante, to murder Trayvon Martin, a Black teenager, […]
Building Trust: Angela Wharton on Safe Spaces for Faith-Based Survivors
Angela Wharton’s commitment to survivors in her community is steadfast. After surviving a sexual assault at gunpoint, she was called by God to found Phynyx Ministries, a Christian-based sexual assault recovery ministry. Through Phynyx Ministries, Angela has helped survivors find support and strength. Angela recently spoke to Force about her collaborations with Force, the importance […]
The Force in Me: Shameeka Dream Reflects on the Monument Quilt Tour
The Force in Me: Shameeka Dream Reflects on the Monument Quilt Tour My journey on the road with the #MonumentQuilt tour was so many things- rewarding, challenging, life-changing. But more importantly, it was confirmation of so many things – rape culture exists, I can do something about it, and I am on the right path. […]
A Common Thread, Generational Healing Through Quilt Making
Written by Kalima Young. Reposted from The Art + Justice Project. “My experience today has been one of being with strangers who aren’t strangers. There is a common thread that has us all in the room.” In late November, FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture (FORCE) invited community members, organizers and artists to their 1400 N. Greenmount Avenue warehouse […]
Indian Girls
By Rebecca Jim. Reposted from Miami News Record. A year ago I stood on the edge of land that looked out over what was once the Yankton Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, I know that was where we were, because it was listed as such on the South Dakota map in my old atlas. But […]
The Monument Quilt Workshop at Johns Hopkins University
This summer, I helped to facilitate a Monument Quilt workshop on the Johns Hopkins campus. In the days before the workshop, I felt rather doubtful of my abilities as a facilitator. Both the resources provided on the website and a few conversations with Hannah Brancato certainly helped to assuage my nerves. But it was only […]
The Monument Quilt Workshop at the University of Oklahoma
As the interpersonal violence intern for the University of Oklahoma’s Women’s Outreach Center, I was honored to involve the university community in FORCE’s Monument Quilt Project. Because we cannot prevent sexual assault or solve the problems stemming from sexual assault without first talking about it, our quilts were an important tenant to our Sexual Assault […]
The Monument Quilt Workshop at Connecticut College
We didn’t host a traditional workshop; instead, we incorporated The Monument Quilt into the Think S.A.F.E. Project’s end of the year field day. Held in the middle of our central lawn, the activities drew in students from across campus. My partner and I manned a table littered with quilt squares and fabric pens situated between […]