It’s time to talk about sexual assault – and we’ve found a brilliant way to do it at a 4 day festival of art, discussion, and debate this summer.
Every hour, the equivalent of one man and over ten women are raped in England and Wales. One in five girls and one in twelve boys will be sexually abused. So many of us are affected by sexual assault, and because it’s so difficult to talk about, we’re missing opportunities to get together and tackle the problem.
But with your help, we can change that and start to have the kinds of conversations we need to have about sexual assault and consent. We are creating the Clear Lines Festival to bring together comedians, activists, artists, psychologists, journalists, and the public in a vibrant, very human exploration of themes around sexual abuse, sexual violence, and consent.
Clear Lines will be the first-ever UK festival of its kind.
If we raise enough funds, programme highlights would include:
Thursday, July 30th
- Film Night — An exclusive screening of thought-provoking documentary films, including the BAFTA-nominated film ‘The Unspeakable Crime: Rape’, followed by a discussion with the filmmakers Sara Hardy and Blue Ryan.
Friday, July 31st
- Panel Discussion — The Role of the Media in Representing Sexual Abuse and Violence: What Makes the News? Our panel of journalists, experts, and survivors contribute to a lively debate on reporting and reality.
- Theatre Night — We’re thrilled to be re-staging a selection of short plays from the previously sold-out Unheard Festival at the Bread and Roses Theatre, thanks to Goblin Baby Theatre Company. Powerful and poignant, these plays explore victimhood, surviving, and recovering.
Saturday, August 1st
- Comedy Night — Tiff Stevenson and a stellar line-up of stand-up comedians tackle the issue of sexual assault and poke fun at some of our cultural attitudes surrounding rape and sexuality.
- A full day of workshops, panels, and performances! Led by psychologist Dr Nina Burrowes, our talks programme will include:
- What Do We Tell the Kids? — How to talk to children about sexual abuse
- Why Do They Do It? — Trying to understand offenders
- Where Have All the Good Men Gone? — How men can help with the issue
Sunday, August 2nd
- Spoken Word Night — Our closing event features award-winning writers as they perform poetry and prose to address the topic, seeking clarity and connection.
- Creative Writing Workshop — Led by poet Rachel Long, participants are invited to explore the issue of sexual abuse and assault in their own words.
- Our talks programme continues with:
- Storytelling Sexual Abuse through Comics — Graphic novelists and cartoonists present a showcase of their work
- Do Real Men Get Raped? — On being a male survivor
- How Can We Use Art for Activism? — #thisdoesntmeanyes activists discuss using art to deliver their message
And that's just a taste of what's on offer!
We already have a great line up of artists and experts who want to engage with this issue at Clear Lines - but we can't make this happen alone. We need to raise funding to hire the venue, cover the most basic costs, and to spread the word of the festival as far as possible, and to ensure that most of our events can be free to all.
We need to we reach our initial target of £3500 to make this festival happen, largely through volunteers and contributors who are donating their time and effort. But we want to bring the festival to as many people as possible, so if we reach our stretch target of £9000 we will be able to film our sessions and workshops and share them online, for free, to give the festival a legacy, and have an impact on more people's lives. We'll also be able to compensate the artists and speakers who are bringing so much to Clear Lines.
No matter how small the donation, you can help make the Clear Lines festival a reality. Help us to replace the shame and silence usually associated with this issue with insight, understanding and community. So please donate, spread the word, and join us at the festival - either in person in London, or online.
Let's start the conversations that don’t always happen, and find our way of creating change.
Thank you for your support.
Follow us on Twitter and join in the conversation with the hashtag #letstalkaboutit
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