How to talk about sexual violence, according to survivors

Life After Sexual Violence: The #MeToo campaign has broken a barrier in how we talk about sexual assault. Seven survivors talk about why it has taken this long, and what is stopping the substantive progress still to come

“So I think this act of disclosure, telling somebody you’ve been raped, it’s a huge thing for victims right?” says Winnie M Li. “Because you’re always scared if you tell your story, is a person going to believe you, are they going to make fun of you, are they going to blame you?”

Winnie is just one of the seven people who feature in Life After Sexual Violence, a seven part series which throws a spotlight on the reality of life after a sex attack.

Our participants include Emily Jacob, 44, who runs ReConnected Life, a coaching and community program for survivors of sexual violence; Tanaka Mhishi, 24, a writer from London; Imogen Butler-Cole, 40, an actor and performer with a solo stage show ‘Foreign Body’, about life after sexual assault; Sophie Yates Lu, 28, a campaigner from London; Winnie M Li a writer and film producer, whose new book ‘Dark Chapter’ won the Guardian’s “Not the Booker” prize; Faye White, 25, a journalist; Alex Bryce, 34, a political advisor.

If you have been a victim of sexual violence, you can find your local Rape Crisis organisation here if you are a woman seeking support and services, or if you a man or a woman, through The Survivors’ Trust.