1 in 10
Bushra Sarker
Sexual abuse can occur at any time to any gender, orientation, ethnicity, level of education, or socioeconomic group. Survivors' voices are often silenced, often into adulthood, creating many years of emotional and physical trauma. One in ten children are sexually abused, yet it only takes a single person sharing their story to inspire other people to come forward. It is my goal to help people overcome their fear of openly discussing child sexual abuse by telling the stories of survivors. I created an anonymous online questionnaire via social media, finally receiving 290 responses from survivors. The quantity of responses underlines the need to share stories.
Awareness campaigns often use fear-inducing visuals designed to create discomfort. My intent is to create an approachable design identity that simply highlights the stories of survivors. I transferred my research into a print report, a poster series, a public installation of messaged pillows, and an online platform to create a sense of community. The campaign icon, a flower, represents the delicate nature of the issue, with one out of the ten petals indicating a survivor. The work evolved into an awareness campaign with installations in a range of public spaces: lounge areas, dining trays, staircases, and bathrooms. Each of these interventions activate public spaces in a way that raises awareness, but relies on the power of words, of speaking, to bring this issue to light.