First-Person Narrative Goes "Beyond Rape"

The latest Narrative Digest from the Nieman Foundation of Journalism at Harvard University highlights one of the most remarkable narratives of any month. “Beyond Rape: A Survivor’s Journey” was published in a 16-page special section of the Cleveland Plain Dealer in May. In its 20,000 word first-person narrative, Joanna Connors does what her headline claims: going far beyond her experience in a darkened theater, 23 years ago, to confront the uncomfortable, human complexity of not only her own journey, but her rapist’s.

As Connors told the Narrative Digest in an interview:

“That I was a victim was random, of course, a matter of bad luck and bad timing. That he was a criminal and a rapist was not random; he was the product of a cycle of violence. The piece turned into a story of what parents pass on to our children, and about the immense privilege of birth that we on this side of the boundary take for granted.”

Or, as she writes in part 1, after a taut narrative of the moments leading up to her assault:

“[This story] is about rape. It is about race and class. And it is about our community -- our line-in-the-sand combativeness over these issues, and our stubborn and fearful reluctance to talk about them.

I needed to tell my story, and I think our community needs to see, and talk about, the huge barriers between the haves and the have-nots.”

The Narrative Digest’s interview with Connors provides more insight into the “how” and “why,” and a column in Editor and Publisher details the outpouring of readers' reactions.

Documenting Violence in Photographs

How can a photographer convey suffering and injustice, yet avoid subjecting those photographed to further harm or stigma? Donna DeCesare answers this question in a photo essay, "Documenting Violence," in the latest issue of ReVista, the Harvard Review of Latin America, now available online. DeCesare, a member of the Dart Center's executive committee, describes her novel approach in the introduction to her images:

"Knowing that I couldn’t control local exposure of my images, I needed to find a way of working that would protect my subject’s identities, allay their fears, and empower them to speak truthfully about their lives. Those who feel imprisoned by stigma need to have a context in which they can exercise control. When a child asked if he could pick a different name to accompany his photographs and story, it occurred to me that he was really asking to share control. This inspired me to look for ways to make the image-making process collaborative."

The text (but not the images) can be navigated online; to view the full issue, including DeCesare's photographs, download the PDF.