The blogathon explored the experience of survivors from many perspectives: family, friends, the survivors themselves, art, poetry, music and social action. The blogathon posts show how coming to terms with rape is both a difficult and life renewing process. But these are more than just survivor stories. They are narratives that show the interaction between life experience and the creative processes that lead to art, literature, and social action:

• Angela, a documentary producer, goes in search of her namesakes across the country and finds her own story echoed in the women she meets, along with stories of courage and determination that have continued to inspire her. Her documentary, Searching for Angela Shelton won many awards, including the best independent documentary in the Austin film festival.
• Inwood writes of the creative interaction between developing the plot and character of a novel and her discovery of a need to heal from her own past. She concludes with some reflections on the role of collusion and silence in allowing rape and kidnapping to “happen” as well as the importance of speaking out and empowering people to confront rather than look away.
• Dannyn speaks with awe inspiring courage about events that take guts even to remember – witnessing the death of a friend, being left for dead by a rapist high on drugs, surviving a kidnapping. She reminds us of the meaning of grit and determination.
• Vanessa, the blogathon sponsor, tells how rape lead to her business as a designer of inspiring jewelry as well as many social action activities. Her story is rounded out with blog posts from her father and two close friends. Together they help us see that rape never affects only the victim. Everyone who loves and is close to a survivor is affected in one way or another. It is a wound in our social fabric and not just a wound to the individual.
• Kim Lampe tells her story both metaphorically and factually – she has a gift for writing that allows her story to go beyond its boundaries and draw together hints of life, death, suspense, mystery, uncertainty and hope.

A synopsis of the individual posts in chronological sequence follows:

This is the fourth in a series of 12 blogathons sponsored by members of Angela’s Army of Angels. The first of these was sponsored by Joanna Doane and used a classic “thon” fundraising model. Donors pledged dollar amounts for each hour of sustained blogging. There were a total of 48 posts, one each hour on the half hour. The project was so successful that it inspired the Army of Angels to turn it into a monhly event. The more recent blogathons are using an online donation service to collect one time donations rather than per-hour donations. Previous blogathons can be viewed at the following websites:

• January 9-10 – sponsored by Joanna Doane at Eyes Open
• February 6-7 – sponsored by Megan Fitzwater at Speaking Out
• March 27-28 – sponsored by Stephanie Chard at Finding My Voice

For upcoming blogathon events see the Army of Angel’s website.

The Angela Shelton Foundation sponsors a variety of projects aimed at inspiring survivors of sexual and domestic violence. The projects included The Survivors Manual – a website and blog featuring self-empowerment and healing tips for survivors of childhood sexual abuse and adult sexual assault, workshops, an annual conference for survivors, and Angela’s Army of Angels. They are also seeking to sponsor additional projects in the arts and media that aim to inspire survivors or end violence. Funding comes from revenue generated by the documentary Searching for Angela Shelton and survivor fundraising projects like this month’s blogathon.

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