Comics Stories about Sexual Assault
In her project Against the Wall, Brazilian artist Carol Rossetti gives voice to many issues that impact women. She writes, "It always bothered me the world's constant attempts to control women's bodies, behaviors and identities. This control is such a deep part of our culture that we hardly ever realize how cruel it is and how it restricts... Continue Reading →
Last month, I came across the comic Interval of Trust by Romanian artists Maria and Oana Heller on Webtoons. This gorgeously illustrated 24-page fictional comic tells the story of Mara, a high school student whose anger, fueled by an abusive past, has put her into a precarious position. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn... Continue Reading →
In her new book Not My Shame, T.O. Walker tells a story that I can really relate to. Published in the U.K. in 2017 by Singing Dragon, Not My Shame is a graphic memoir about assault, hard-earned survival, and the redemption of human connection. The non-linear narrative reflects the experiences of an assault survivor... 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 →
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 →
Does anyone have a copy of Hush I could borrow? This graphic novella, by Pratheek Thomas (writer) and Rajiv Eipe (artist) was published in India by Manta Ray Comics in 2010. It looks like a fascinating comic -- a story with no words, in which a young girl is molested by her father, and someone... Continue Reading →
Released in 2014, this series of images by Syrian artist Saint Hoax shows Disney princesses kissing their fathers, or their fathers kissing them. Intended to bring attention to child sex abuse by relatives, the image captions state that 46% of minors who are sexually assaulted are victims of family members. I don't love looking at... Continue Reading →
This 10-minute animated PSA comes from CHILDLINE in India and shows how their specialists talk to kids about sexual abuse. It's worth a look if you are interested in education programs for kids. https://youtu.be/VkY0xqtw6W8
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