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Because SV is such a painful and socially taboo issue, visual art allows activists who may also be victims to convey their message to the general public effectively and creatively in a way that affirms and heals. Performance art, interactive street art, painting, and Tumblr graphics are all powerful ways to express strong feelings, protest, educate, advocate, and move people to action.

Check out the videos at A Long Walk Home, a Chicago-based national non-profit that uses art to educate and mobilize young people to end violence against girls and women.

“ALWH doesn’t just expose the outrage of dating, domestic and sexual violence but inspires social change through community empowerment and public action.”

Emma Sulkowicz: “Carry That Weight”

While a student at Columbia University in New York, Emma used the mattress of her assault as a powerful visual statement to raise awareness through “endurance performance art,” carrying her mattress for an entire school year and bringing it with her on stage at her commencement. Emma’s art is important because it disrupts space, causing people to think about sexual violence.

In Seattle, the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center hosted an interactive art exhibit downtown after the 2016 presidential election–a powerful example of incorporating many voices into one dramatic and moving statement.

Frizz Kid is a Tumblr artist who creates graphics around self-care, body positivity, and sexual health, all important parts of SVP. Tumblr (and other social media sites) are a great platform for visual art, because they are low-barrier (almost anyone can see them).

Consider how you can incorporate the words of survivors into your art, which centers their stories and creates poignant statements.

If you’re creating public art, remember that most people won’t get to choose whether or not to view it, so consider how to address triggering or graphic content. And if you want your art to remain up for more than a few hours, be sure to ask permission to use public space.

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