Violence is a serious problem throughout the world, affecting thousands of adults and children each year. Although an alarming number of people are at some point in their lives victimized by hate-motivated attacks, physical and sexual assault, or family abuse, few opportunities exist for survivors to tell their stories. In an effort to help survivors access their creativity, move towards recovery, and add their voices to broadbased violence prevention initiatives, the Center for Digital Storytelling (CDS) has initiated Silence Speaks.
Since its inception in 1993, CDS has developed a workshop that integrates creative writing, oral history, filmmaking, and digital media manipulation to assist people in making short digital videos, or "digital stories," about their experiences. While many of the stories produced at CDS have touched on loss and healing, the Center has not until now established a separate space for survivors of violence to tell their stories. The key goals of Silence Speaks are to support survivors across boundaries of age, race/ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual orientation in creating multimedia artwork representative of their unique experiences, and to take these works to diverse audiences, as a way of promoting violence prevention.
In this presentation, participants will receive an overview of digital storytelling methodology; learn about how digital storytelling promotes healing, creative expression, and empowerment; view a collection of Silence Speaks digital stories; and engage in a discussion about how violence prevention programs can incorporate digital storytelling into their community organizing, public education, provider training, and policy development activities.
See www.storycenter.orgLearning Objectives: Participants will: 1. Receive an overview of digital storytelling methodology; 2. Learn about the ways in which digital storytelling promotes healing, creative expression, and empowerment; 3. View a unique collection of digital stories by members of marginalized communities (youth, communities of color, lesbian/gay/bisexual/ transgendered community); 4. Engage in a discussion about how violence and injury prevention programs might incorporate digital storytelling into their community organizing, public education, provider training, and policy development activities.
Keywords: Domestic Violence, Technology
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Center for Digital Storytelling
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.