This toolkit employs art, in various forms, as a universal language and medium for communicating their message about sexual assault prevention and awareness.
Excerpts:
Art is Empowering for Individuals
Through art, many survivors find themselves able to express issues related to their victimization and healing more clearly and safely than with words. Through the sharing of their experiences, many survivors are finally able to find the release they seek and the freedom theyÍve lost -- on their own terms. Art also offers a means for discussing difficult and taboo topics in marginalized communities and where silence is pervasive. With the option of anonymity art allows individuals to break silence without becoming stigmatized by their community.
Art Can Be Empowering for Communities
Since art has the ability to engage and give voice to those people who otherwise would not have been involved, it can enrich the collective dialogue. Through SAAPM collaborative arts projects and group exhibitions, both on a large scale and through mini installations, art can articulate powerful messages of impact and accountability: sexual violence not only impacts individuals, but hurts the community as a whole. It can help shift the focus from the individual to the collective responsibility for creating safe communities and working environments.
