submitted by Carly Swenson, Montana

Mixed media collage on canvas, 2010, 12”x24”

I feel my piece and title provide sufficient commentary–I am not a particularly articulate writer when it comes to explaining my experience of this nature.  That is why I found visual form the best way to express my feelings and my emotions.    Like most cases of sexual assault, my incident wasn’t the stereotypical hooded stranger with a knife forcing himself upon an unsuspecting young woman in a dark ally—

Ultimately, I experienced a form of date rape.  However, after it had occurred I blamed myself –it took a couple months before I was fully able to come to terms with (and ultimately the realization of) the fact that I was not in the wrong. When this piece was originally made I felt a huge weight lifted from my mind, as if all the thoughts, relived moments, regrets and emotions running incessantly through my head were finally out and I was able to move on.