Advocating for Queer and BIPOC Survivors of Rape at Public Universities : The #ChangeRapeCulture Movement

Abstract

Advocating for Queer and BIPOC Survivors of Rape at Public Universities: The #ChangeRapeCulture Movement offers theoretical groundings, model strategies, and practical solutions to understanding how rape culture affects public university culture. In 2019, at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), #ChangeRapeCulture, created and led by queer Black students, worked to champion the national conversation about rape culture. Since then, the movement has gone from student protests to conferences, workshops, fundraisers, community events, and youth meetings about the reality of rape culture in America. #ChangeRapeCulture aims to highlight stories from BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+ survivors; advocate for their rights; and dismantle the harmful stereotypes that disadvantage sexual violence survivors in real life. Every survivor of sexual abuse has a story to tell, and the organizers of #ChangeRapeCulture are willing to risk everything to make sure these stories are being spread to as many people as possible. It happens way more than you think. All you have to do is listen.