However, using trauma as a tool for awareness is a delicate art. When done poorly, it exploits. When done right, it heals and mobilizes.
Not all survivor-led campaigns are helpful. The awareness industry has a dark history of "trauma porn"—using the most graphic, shocking details of a survivor’s pain to generate clicks or donations, then discarding the survivor once the campaign ends. layarxxipwchitoseharawasrapedandherhusb top
Perhaps no modern campaign demonstrates this power more than #MeToo. Started by Tarana Burke and later popularized by Alyssa Milano, the campaign didn’t rely on expert testimony or gruesome evidence. It relied on two words and millions of survivor stories. The collective weight of those narratives collapsed legal and corporate barriers, changing workplace harassment laws globally. The story was the strategy. However, using trauma as a tool for awareness
Give survivors your full attention without judgment. Not all survivor-led campaigns are helpful
Real stories move people from "knowing" to "feeling," which is the primary driver for donations and volunteerism.
However, using trauma as a tool for awareness is a delicate art. When done poorly, it exploits. When done right, it heals and mobilizes.
Not all survivor-led campaigns are helpful. The awareness industry has a dark history of "trauma porn"—using the most graphic, shocking details of a survivor’s pain to generate clicks or donations, then discarding the survivor once the campaign ends.
Perhaps no modern campaign demonstrates this power more than #MeToo. Started by Tarana Burke and later popularized by Alyssa Milano, the campaign didn’t rely on expert testimony or gruesome evidence. It relied on two words and millions of survivor stories. The collective weight of those narratives collapsed legal and corporate barriers, changing workplace harassment laws globally. The story was the strategy.
Give survivors your full attention without judgment.
Real stories move people from "knowing" to "feeling," which is the primary driver for donations and volunteerism.