Stepping Out of Trauma: Reflections On What It Means to Be a Survivor of Sexual Assault

Abstract

This research creation project explored the use of installation art and mixed media to create a reflective space for audiences to address their own beliefs and understanding related to survivorship from sexual assault. An important component in the work was the desire to step back from typical shock tactics used in contemporary art to address sexual assault and take a softer approach to the issue of trauma and survivorship. A combination of projection mapping, sculptural, and natural audio elements from a flowing stream were used to create a space that guides audiences to reflect on the themes related to moving past trauma related to sexual assault: Healing, Rebirth, and Regrowth, while spilling the knowledge from survivors into the greater society as a means of shifting the social narrative further away from the idea that survivors are victims who are defined by the act of sexual assault. Using Moustakas’s Heuristic Model of Inquiry, I explored the research question through artistic practice and reflected not only on my own experience with low-intensity sexual assault, but the shared themes collected from other survivors. Data was collected from survivors through an interview process that focused on healing and personal experiences related to social stigmas. The end result was an installation exhibition that sought to guide audiences through a reflection of trauma as a means of reducing social stigmas related to survivorship of sexual assault. The metaphor of water was layered throughout all aspects of the project, showing the importance of change, empowerment, and reflection.