An exhibition opening Monday at the Kansas Union Gallery will feature creative works produced by student survivors of sexual violence, centering on the space between harm and healing.
The exhibition, called “The Space Between,” does not have a central voice or overarching message — “Rather, it is a quilting together of individual expressions and meanings of survivorship unique to their creators,” Faith Maddox, a senior from Topeka majoring in English, said in a KU news release.
“The Space Between” is put on by KU’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center (SAPEC) and organized by Maddox, who is also a SAPEC peer educator, with support from Kelsey Hunter, SAPEC education program coordinator.
“Visual art and poetry offer a unique opportunity for survivors to connect with a version of themselves that is rooted in healing and self-compassion,” Maddox said in KU’s release. “An exhibit like this also allows other members of the community to interact with these experiences from a place of allyship and direct listening that is not always immediately available or accessible.”
The exhibition will be open from Monday, Oct. 25 through Nov. 12. An opening reception is planned for 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27.
Don’t miss a beat … Click here to sign up for our email newsletters
Click here to learn more about our newsletters first
Resources for survivors
If you have experienced sexual violence or trauma, please seek the help that’s right for you. There are many options available, and you don’t have to file a police report if you don’t want to.
Get 24/7 help in Lawrence: The Sexual Trauma & Abuse Care Center
- Call 785-843-8985 to reach an advocate, 24/7. (Consider saving that number in your phone in case you or someone you know ever needs it.)
- After an assault: What are my options? Check this page for detailed information about
- talking to an advocate,
- going to the hospital,
- making a police report,
- and/or talking to a counselor or therapist.
- On campus? Check this page for specific resources for the University of Kansas, Haskell Indian Nations University, Baker University, Ottawa University and more.
Resources on KU’s campus:
- Contact CARE (Campus Assistance, Resource, and Education) Services: KU students can make an appointment online at careservices.ku.edu, by email, care@ku.edu, or by calling 785-864-9255. It’s free, confidential and voluntary to talk with the CARE Coordinator. All genders welcome. Read more here.
- Find more KU campus resources at this link. Specific information about sexual assault exams can be found under the “Medical Care” tab.
- Connect with KU CARE Companions on Instagram. (Note: CARE Companions are KU students in the Panhellenic community that offer peer support and info about resources, but this is not an advocacy service like others listed here.)
Domestic violence situations: The Willow Domestic Violence Center
- Reach the Willow for help 24/7 at 785-843-3333.
- Find more resources on the Willow’s website at this link.
More resources
- StrongHearts Native Helpline: Call 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483) for 24/7 safe, confidential and anonymous domestic and sexual violence support for Native Americans and Alaska Natives that is culturally appropriate.
- National hotline: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), text “START” to 88788, and/or visit thehotline.org to chat and learn more, 24/7.
