SILENT NO MORE ANTI-RAPE ART THERAPY WORKSHOP involves the making of functional art objects, group exercise and discussion, as creative vehicles of support and empowerment that encourage participants to use their voices in order to combat rape culture and to help heal themselves and society. Whether they are survivors, bystanders or advocates of sexual assault victims, through the use of metaphor, participants of all genders experience the personal and therapeutic impact of speaking out against sexual violence. The trope of the workshop is the Chinese philosophy known as “Yin-Yang,” the inter-connectivity of opposing forces. Explored in the exercise is the duality of sexual trauma juxtaposed against healing.
In the Silent No More workshop, there is an art-making station in place with painting supplies and poster paper. I first give an artist talk,with a slideshow presentation of my work, relative to my being a sexual assault survivor and anti-rape activist. Participants gather around the table and each cut a sheet of poster paper into a specific shape. I do not disclose the purpose of the shape. Participants are instructed to color both sides of the shape in solid colors which they feel oppose one another. They are instructed to write “Silent No More” on each side of the shape. While doing so, we discuss the concept of Yin-Yang and opposing forces as they relate to rape culture. Each participant decorates one side of the paper with words and images pertaining to the negative effects of rape and sexual assault, the other side with words and images reflecting survivorship. Participants stand and form a circle, facing one another. They are instructed to each roll their decorated paper into the shape of a megaphone, and are encouraged to consider whether the negative side will be the interior or the exterior of the megaphone, relative to how they process the subject of sexual violence, both internally and externally within their bodies and minds. The group decides whether to first speak out the positive side or the negative. One by one, using their megaphone to project their voices, each participant is invited to speak out a short phrases they wrote about sexual violence. Once everyone has had a turn, the megaphones are turned inside out, and each participant voices a phrase they wrote on the opposite side. Once competed, the group shouts out in unison, from their megaphones, “Silent No More,” three times. Guided by specific questions, group dialogue ensues.
Echo National Conference Silent No More Anti-Rape Art Therapy Workshop, March 11, 2020
Occidental College Silent No More Anti-Rape Art Therapy Workshop, April 3, 2018
Angels Gate Silent No More Anti-Rape Art Therapy Workshop, June 25, 2016
Angels Gate Silent No More Art Workshop, June 25, 2016, San Pedro CA
Blk Grrrl Book Fair Cielo Gallery Silent No More Anti-Rape Art Workshop, May 29, 2016. LA
Johns Hopkins University Silent No More Anti-Rape Art Therapy Workshop, April 19, 2016
University of Maryland Silent No More Anti-Rape Art Therapy Workshop, April 18, 2016
University of Maryland Silent No More Anti-Rape Art Therapy Workshop, April 18, 2016, College Park, MD
Catalyst Series Conference Silent No More Anti-Rape Art Therapy Workshop, April 2, 2016
Occidental College Silent No More Art Workshop, November 20, 2015, Los Angeles
The first Silent No More Art Workshop that I conducted occurred at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California on November 20, 2015, in Professor Caroline Heldman’s undergraduate class, Campus Anti Rape Movement.
