submitted by Julia Moreno Perri, Houston, TX

click to play: Woman Stand Strong by Julia Moreno Perri

Originally written for a training video for Women Organized Against Rape, this song was my response to the interviews I witnessed. The women showed great courage and strength in sharing their stories for the video and I was very moved by this experience.

submitted by Aaron Alon, Houston, TX

click to play: Breaking the Silence by Aaron Alon

I began work on Breaking the Silence knowing only that I wanted to write a piece about child abuse, a horrific social illness which is alarmingly pervasive in our society.  Aside from writing a brief text – which is sung by the soprano, who represents a small child singing a children’s song of her own invention – I sought to have the direction and social statements of the piece guided by the interviews of survivors: the freely-spoken words and/or the writings they chose to share.  These interviews compose the tape portion of the piece and tell, in words, stories more powerful than a writer could manufacture or a composer could mimic.  My work on this piece allowed me to bring their stories together, to interweave them, always seeking to have their words understood, but allowing the audience to experience, through spoken vocal polyphony, the struggle of breaking the silence, of having one’s words heard.  I am aware that the piece is controversial.  My only hope is that the volunteers who shared their stories will gain from being heard and that this may help others to break their silence too.

The four survivors who were interviewed were Mike Migura, Michelle Fellow, “SafeAtLast,” and Anonymous.  In live performance, the piece is performed in surround sound with a live soprano (Laura Botkin on this recording) and a soprano on tape (Angela Mortellaro).

submitted by Tessa Jetson, Victoria, Melbourne

click to play: Every Day Is Getting Brighter by Tessa Jetson

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submitted by Ender / Unrestrained, Burlington, VT

click to play: Out of the Dust by Unrestrained

Beth felt so alone,
and she knew she was wronged,
but as much as she tried,
she just couldn’t tell any one.

And she leaves a light on, but she’s not sleeping.
It’s a new world out there, when her eyes close it’s him she’s seeing.

That horrible grin, the terrible touch,
he’s in control and she’s had enough.
She begs him to stop but he just wouldn’t have it,
she may never undo this damage.
A thousand times she cries out for help, but no one else can hear her now.
She closes her eyes wondering when will it end…. but sadly this is where her story, her story begins.

Now she suffers in silence, though she screams out loud.
Can’t wash her body clean, still feels him all around.
And her friends don’t believe her stating, “oh, he’d never do that”.
She puts her head down and whispers “I guess you don’t know jack”

and she feels the anger build up inside her…
“YOU DON’T KNOW JACK”
And she imagines anyone that’s ever felt this way, surrounding her, and with a warm voice they say…”We’ll come out of the dust”

And she’ll say to him:

“We’re here, to see you crawl. We came, to hear you beg. We want to watch it hurt.”

And these aren’t just words, that pour from me, the moral is, it’s not just a story….

When there’s still a Beth, on every street, and there’s still a Jack, on every block.

submitted by Amber Johnston

click to play: You by Amber Johnston

10 Years Old

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submitted by Kelly Hatch

click to play: Your Voice Deserves to be Heard by Lyrikel (Kelly Hatch) featuring Izakura

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