One victim of abuse decided that she was done keeping quiet. Lisa Adams is the proud founder of online platform Say His Name, a safe space for women who have experienced abuse to tell their stories. Users have the option to add a photo of themselves holding a sign.
Adams was a victim of sexual abuse by a family member in her early teens. She notes that statistics on gender-based violence indicate the majority of offenders are not strangers but people the victims know well. “This is my protest, our protest,” she adds. “Protest art is a mechanism for social consciousness. It is unapologetic.”
She believes that talking about what happened is part of standing up against the feelings of oppression and shame that comes with keeping a terrible secret. “One of the major components of this journey has been realising the power that there is for some victims in sharing their stories. Unmasking the shame, rejecting it and handing it back over to their offenders. There is power in community, and this is a community problem,” she says.
On this platform, anybody may send in their story for publication, either named or anonymously. Women who have not experienced abuse but want to show their support for those who have can also take part. The aim of this online community is to show women they are not alone and that they are, in fact surrounded by others who can relate and will listen.
Listen to her interview on CapeTalk:
“We have to leverage the digital community and use the skills we have to fine tune an impact, even if it is just for the people within your reach,” says Adams. You can get in contact by emailing [email protected] .
Picture: Facebook/Lisa Adams