Rachel Epstein-Shuman

I am a loud and proud voice of the #metoo movement. I transport memories to paper, into non-fiction events and locations as anecdotes to assist those who may not understand the commonality and normalization of rape culture and sexual abuse. Not only do I write for those who may not understand yet, but I also write for those who do; to reaffirm that far away and impossible “person who has been through it too.” I write and speak for those who may not be ready, and for those who cannot be heard. As an 18-year-old–who has been practicing poetry and creative writing since the age of nine–who has been sexually assaulted and witnessed rape culture in my generation, I feel my experiences on paper hold a lens to the still extremely prominent problems that victims face every day. My goal and passion has–for six years and counting–been to bring all generations to terms with the realities of rape culture, and potential solutions like sensitivity trainings for both teachers and students, and a complete remodeling of the judicial system in relation to domestic violence and sexual assault cases.