Comics Stories about Sexual Assault
Una's book Becoming Unbecoming is a graphically beautiful story of a girl growing up in a community haunted by a serial rapist and murderer. When town authorities and the media place the burden of personal safety on women and girls, Una gets a clear message that her own experience with sexual violence is entirely her fault. J.... Continue Reading →
Thank you, Matt Lubchansky, for this cranky comic on The Nib in which our self-congratulatory president declares April 2017 Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
In 1986, when I was 12 years old, Oprah Winfrey came out as a survivor of sexual abuse. Her candor was stunning. Her national talk show had been on the air for only one year, but she had already busted through the ratings set by talk show superstar Phil Donahue, a remarkable feat for a... Continue Reading →
So... it's Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This actually wasn't the idea of the current president, although he seems to be taking credit. Obama first recognized April as SAAM in 2010, but I'll be honest that this is the first time I've heard of it. Should we feel grateful that an important movement that began in the '70s had gained national... Continue Reading →
From The Legal Assistance Centre in Namibia comes a series of comics that instruct readers on how to identify, report, and respond to cases of abuse and sexual assault. These are fascinating reads -- the goal of each comic is to assist the victim of a crime, whether it is a suspected assailant who has been... Continue Reading →
On Narratively, Secret Life of Gitmo's Women by artist Lucy Bellwood and interviewer Sarah Mirk tells the stories of two women serving in the Navy at Guantanamo Bay. The negatives of military culture seem to be amplified on the tiny island. Laura and Melanie's stories both speak to the isolation and emotional conflict they feel as part of the... Continue Reading →
In No 'I' in Sex, artist Toby Morris wishes he'd had better advice about sex and dating when he was a kid. Treating sex like a sport or a conquest is harmful to all involved, he says. He offers his own advice to the youth of today. Speaking bro-to-bro, Morris' message is clear and respectful.
More interesting than the superhero-style comic book that anchors the Priya's Shakti project, at least for me, are a series of audio interviews with assault victims that influenced writers Devineni & Menon in crafting the heroine's fictionalized story. Illustrated videos of these interviews are included in the "augmented reality" content viewable on a smartphone app, but I found... Continue Reading →
What a wild ride! Goddess incarnations, Battles of the Gods, and a rape survivor with a tiger to ride on as she shares her message of hope. Priya's Shakti is a vibrant and engaging public health campaign from India, anchored in a 36-page comic book written by Ram Devineni and Vikas Menon, with art by Dan... Continue Reading →
I created this blog for people seeking stories they can relate to. This is a curated collection of comics on topics of sexual assault, harassment, rape culture, and advocacy. I encourage you to create comics and submit them, even if you don't think of yourself as an artist. Your stories are welcome here. ❤ Erma
Grab Back Comics 