the dreamer and the dream-part ONE

the dreamer and the dream-by jay herron, a photo by jayfherron on Flickr.

My painting ‘The Dreamer and the Dream’ is hanging with many other pieces for the ‘survivors art exhibit’ at the Victims Services Center in Gainesville, Florida.
My piece is one but along with the others, we are all survivors!

At the reception I stood up in front of an audience of 40 to 50 attendees-a very diverse group, some parents with children.
It is very awkward for me to speak-in public. My intent was to try and remain calm and focused in my mind the entire day coming up to the point where I stood in front of the podium.
I am sorry-I did not speak about MST at this time, I am reserving my energy for my use with my seat on the ‘rape and sexual assault advisory council’ that I have been re-appointed to.
This group the other night needed to hear the truth about rape!

Rape is not an act of sex!
The attacker is getting the thrill of overpowering another-it is a thrust of abuse, and not of release and compassion.
I firmly believe the term ‘sexual assault’ is distorting the truth; the word ‘sexual’ softens the ‘blow’, so to speak,to many who have no idea-and draws attention away from the fact…this crime is horrendously harmful for the rest of the victim/survivors life.
I often disagree with the word-survivor-but it is there in connection so I use it.

I spoke for male survivors-I spoke about men and younger males who have been the least represented in the facts-mostly because of social stigma.
I said I wanted to stand there and offer myself as a face!
It was not a long wordy talk-not at all, just really a few facts to educate!
I wanted them to hear it from a male who knows-and who has been life long hurt from the experience of 40 plus years ago!
I needed to express-there are many silent victims out in our radius who cannot come for help.
I hope somehow they will.

In three weeks I return to my seat on the ‘rape and sexual assault advisory council’….which is a word full of saying this is a group of citizens who are appointed by the local government to give them advise on selecting or starting programs for rape victims / survivors.
I know a lot of it is fund raising-which is not my interest-and some more of it is planning events, such as the art exhibit, which is a little more closer for me…but-my sole true reason for requesting appointment to the council is to bring the voice of MST veterans as close to home as I can!

I won’t hesitate to speak out-it just is, the other night it was not quite the choice for for saying anything…Americans are not ready enough to accept males being rape victims, it surely would not have been understood enough in this venue to speak about MST.

I did write-and will post a copy-of an artists statement which introduces my piece.
There is was very obvious of the military connection.

See the continued…in part TWO