Young men and women all with similar yet different experiences. Some were angry. Some were distraught. Some were apathetic. Some were met with support and love by family and friends. Some were not. Some received apologies while others were met with denial. Some sought legal actions and others did not. Some forgave and other did not. This night was not about the details. This night was about solidarity. Solidarity around molestation, sexual abuse, and sexual assault.
Where is the Line organized the Shadow Event. The night featured several young men and women sharing their experiences with sexual assault, sexual abuse, and molestation. Also featured were popular musical pieces, such as Ke$ha’s “Praying.” Each of the speakers bravely told their stories with only their silhouette visible behind a screen. The speakers, although each with a different story, had one thing in common: they were all acutely aware of the impact that they had. They all acknowledged they were not the only one with this trauma, and they could give words of advice to the listeners. Not only were these young men and women brave for sharing their experiences, but they also looked within themselves, sharing with the audience what difficult lessons they had learned. Some suggested forgiveness for oneself and for the assaulters. Some suggested turning to God for guidance.
Thank you to the young men and women who were brave enough to share their stories with the CNU campus and for Where is the Line for giving them a platform to raise awareness about sexual assault.