Trump Inauguration Confronted By Jarring Projections Of Sexual Abuse Survivor Statements

Last night, FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture, an art collective known for multiple viral public art actions, projected the faces and stories of survivors of rape and abuse onto the façade of Washington, D.C.’s Convention Center. Each image was accompanied by the hashtag #WeWillNotBeSilent and the words, “In this man, I see violence.” Statements described the way in which Donald Trump’s predatory behavior reminds survivors of their abusers. For people gathered to look, those walking by, in their cars and on their way to inaugural events during rush hour traffic it was impossible to look away. It was a clear, crisp night and the facade is 60 feet tall. The action was done in collaboration with DISCLOSE, an Oakland-based art-activism collective, which simultaneously staged projections on the West Coast. The projected stills and are come from a video created by DISCLOSE, which was released online today.

“As survivors of violence, we know best the tactics that Trump uses to maintain power because we have lived it. Trump is not new, but all too familiar. As a survivor and as a queer, Native woman I know deeply the hate that Trump embodies, because I live it everyday,” explained Rebecca Nagle, co-founder, along with Hannah Brancato, of the organization. “We also know that the culture that allowed Donald Trump to be successful are larger than just one person and we have to name the violence that is so deeply embedded in U.S. culture that a man like this could be our president.”

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