On the corner of St. Nicholas Avenue and Troutman Street in Bushwick, a line of papers are taped onto the building walls. A poster, covered in red handprints, hangs below it and screams “STOP RAPE CULTURE!” in big, bold letters.
They are casually displayed alongside movie advertisements, but the papers deliver a powerful message concerning the pervasiveness of rape culture all over the world. They are lasting remnants of a NYC protest that recently took place in light of the gang rape that occurred in Rio, Brazil. The victim, a 17-year-old woman, was naked and unconscious while over 30 men participated in the May attack.
As a response to the shocking incident, people “revolted” by bringing their ideas and art to the streets of Brooklyn.
Andressa Furletti (instagram.com/tchuca), a visual artist based in NYC, took the opportunity to put on a powerful public performance:
In solidarity with women in Brazil and survivors of rape, the papers also act as personal oaths. They read: “I’m taking a stand to put an end to sexual assault. In her shoes, I pledge to ____________.”
My two favorite responses were both one-word answers: “talk” and “listen.” The simplicity of the sentiment could not have resonated with me more.
