Symposium

The symposium took place on Friday 31 January 2014, 10am – 5pm at Embrace Arts, the University of Leicester’s Arts Centre. Richard Attenborough centre, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 7HA. See Embrace Arts Facebook photo album.

Buy a catalogue for the Speaking out art exhibition from Embrace Arts for £7.99.

Keynote speakers:

Judge Sureta Chana, Victims Representative, Kenya Case 1 at International Criminal Court and Expert for the PSVI (Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative by the UK)

Anuja Prashar, Chair of the British Union of Indian Liberal Democrats

Villayat ‘SnowMoon Wolf’ Sunkmanitu, artist photographer and expert on PTSD

Nicole Fayard, University of Leicester

Speaking Out: Survivors, artists and public services against gender violence

The ‘Speaking Out’ project at Embrace Arts, the University of Leicester’s Arts Centre, brings together artists, survivors, support organisations, and local communities to creatively explore transcending gender violence.

Areas we shall seek to debate include:

  • The social and historical causes of gender violence
  • The ways in which gender violence may affect some groups, including disabled and BME populations, differently.
  • The diverse experiences of survivors.
  • The effects of trauma and PTSD.
  • The role of testimony in empowerment.
  • The ways in which creative activities, through genuine interaction between artists and audience, can help trauma survivors of all backgrounds, especially groups with limited engagement with the arts, fully realise their transformative potential
  • Ideas for strengthening relationships between survivors, interest groups and services to maximise resources through collaboration.
  • Ideas for fostering optimal public engagement in the issues to change behaviour and encourage reporting of gender violence.

This one-day symposium is open to all. Invited speakers include artists, representatives from victim support groups; faith groups; police; legal and medical practitioners with the aim to widen public engagement with the issues and share knowledge and experiences to inform current practices.

Ticket price includes lunch at Embrace Arts: £35 (employed), £20 (student: proof of NUS card must be shown at front desk when booking/collecting ticket), £7 (artists, disabled patrons and the unwaged)

For more information email: speakingout@le.ac.uk