We know that sharing stories, whether verbally or in writing, is a key part of survivor healing and activism. Each year, in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Women and Gender Advocacy Center aims to create space for survivors of sexual violence to tell their story in a written format.
Please see below for more information and answers to some of our more frequently asked questions. You can also email us at wgac@colostate.edu if you have further questions.
Our 2022 submission form is now closed. Please click here to read stories that were submitted for SAAM 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many victims and survivors of sexual violence feel that sharing their story, or even just specific portions of their story, has empowered them and been a key part of their healing and activism. Your reasoning for sharing your story is completely personal and the decision is entirely up to you.
Only if you want to! Some people find empowerment in sharing their name and/or pronouns, and others find empowerment in the anonymity. There is an option to provide your name and/or pronouns when you submit, but it definitely isn’t a requirement.
This is also completely up to you! Story sharing can look many different ways. You could tell the details of what happened to you, the impact afterward, your healing process, a combination of all of those, or something else entirely. You could tell it in the form of a poem, narrative, or visual art – visual art can be submitted to our zine (visit SAAM.colostate.edu for more information). WGAC also has the option for verbal storytelling through our Survivor Speakers Bureau. (Email wgac@colostate.edu for more information). This is YOUR story to share – however you want to share it and however best works for you.
This Survivor Story Speak-Out is intended to center the stories of people in the Colorado State University community who have experienced some form of sexual violence. This includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, and more. We know that people of all genders, races, sexualities, and other identities experience sexual violence. This is a space for all victims and survivors of sexual violence in CSU’s community to share.
If you are not a part of the CSU community, there are alternative places to share, including the Do Better Campaign – https://www.instagram.com/thedobettercampaign/?hl=en.
We plan to share submissions via our social media (Instagram: @csu_wgac and Facebook: @womenandgenderadvocacy) and website (SAAM.colostate.edu). If you provide your email in the submission form, you can choose to receive outreach when we publish stories. If not, you can keep up with us on our social media and/or website for updates.
For an example of how we’ve shared submissions, click here to reach the website with submissions from SAAM 2021.
The WGAC invites primary and secondary survivors (including loved ones, friends, and family) to participate in the Survivors’ Speakers Bureau. Survivors complete a 2-hour orientation, and then speak for classes, programs, and conferences arranged through WGAC. Most of the speaking opportunities are for panels, where several survivors share their stories together.
For questions or to get involved, please email wgac@colostate.edu.
If you are not a part of the CSU community, there are alternative places to share including the Do Better Campaign – https://www.instagram.com/thedobettercampaign/?hl=en.
On-Campus:
- CSU WGAC Victim Assistance Team 24-hour hotline : (970) 492-4242, safecenter.colostate.edu
Local Community:
- SAVA (Sexual Assault Victim Advocacy Center) 24-hour hotline : (970) 472-4200, savacenter.org
- Alternatives to Violence 24-hour hotline : (970) 669-5150, alternativestoviolence.org
