Survival looks different for everyone. Life after sexual violence in our words.
The Project
Signed, X was born so that survivors of sexual violence could share their stories, years down the road of healing, struggling, and getting out of bed each day.
Their stories are fragmented, as are the images.
But there is a whole person behind each one
And there will be more.
These are the words of long-term survivors.
They are edited from interviews and reordered for clarity.
They are signed with a first name or initial, to protect the privacy of that individual.
The traditional assault narrative is that there are two important moments for a survivor: the violence, and the moment they are "healed," "complete," "fixed."
But we miss the long, winding tunnel in between.
It takes every survivor their own time and their own path to come out the other end.
And some simply do not.
And their stories matter too.
If we are to have an informed discussion about the pervasive and long-lasting effects of sexual violence, we need to start by listening.
What is life like 3, 10, 17 years after sexual violence?
We’ll tell you.
-Signed,
X
The Photographer
Kate Ryan is an NYC-based human rights journalist covering gender violence, women's health and immigration.
She is grateful to the courageous women and men who have shared so much of themselves with Signed, X — and now, with you.
Kate Ryan is an NYC-based human rights journalist covering gender violence, women's health and immigration.
She is grateful to the courageous women and men who have shared so much of themselves with Signed, X — and now, with you.