Local University Puts on Raw Performance to Spread Awareness

This past weekend, I had the honor of attending an event called The Jane Doe Project. It is a performance put on once a year by a local university, Aquinas, and it consists of stories from students, alumni, and faculty who are survivors of assault & abuse (including sexual). Every year more monologues are written as more survivors come forward, and each year it becomes more powerful.

Awareness has always been my main platform, so being able to watch these students passionately portray the stories of survivors made me proud to be an advocate and a survivor who fights day in and day out for this very cause. I only wish that the entire community could have been there to hear the rawness enveloped in these monologues.

Telling these stories isn't just about memorizing lines or even acting well. It is about the ability to empathize with the survivor; to be in touch with the pain they experienced. It is no easy task, especially since the emotions associated with assault and abuse are overwhelming just to hear about let alone experience them.  This cast did a wonderful job and should be commended for the risk it took to put on a performance with such uncomfortable and controversial topics.

There is a part of me that wishes I could hug some of these survivors in the story, or at least know how they are doing now. One of them had recalled an experience with a therapist who questioned whether the survivor's sexual identity was tied to the abuse she encountered. For me that was difficult to hear, simply because I know that you could go through all the trauma therapy in the world, but it wouldn't command your sexual identity. That can be so psychologically damaging to someone who is trying to work through a trauma. In any case, I hope this survivor has found some peace, whoever and where ever she is.

What attending this event has shown me, is that there are other people like me, even in my own city, fighting for awareness, and I hope I can be involved with them in the future. I believe there will be a ripple effect from this performance, but it is up to us to keep pushing for awareness!