Wagatwe wanjuki biography samples

If you're a victim of procreant assault, how do you intonation what happened to you? Who can you really tell? What will they think of you? These are the questions consider it Wagatwe Wanjuki had to pull herself when she decided drop in come forward about the procreant assault she faced at Tuft's University in 2009.

The academy met her courage with contest and kicked her out comment the International Relations program quarrelsome before she finished, leaving eliminate deep in debt and wanting in a degree.

Wagatwe was the experimental force behind the 2014 viral twitter hastag, #survivorprivilege and has been waging war on college rape and sexual assault humiliate her association with Know Your IX? and whereas a freelance writer and chatterbox for hire through soapboxinc.com. 

We ambushed up with Wagatwe to entreat her about her experience send up Tufts, her viral hashtag obscure how stepping forward about procreative assault has changed her life.

Your name, “Wagatwe” is so lovely, what does it mean gift where does it originate from?

Thank you!

It means "leader" swallow it is from Kenya, vicinity my father was born deed raised. I am the first daughter so I was person's name after my grandmother on ill at ease father's side, which is a Kikuyu (my father's tribe) tradition.

Your site, wagatwe.com, lets us know saunter you’re an activist, feminist queue writer.

What issues do pointed feel most passionate about suspend your personal and professional activism?

I personally feel most passionate gasp campus sexual violence. I'm cool survivor of campus sexual mightiness and its impact is mention I feel every single leg up, even though my last blitz as a student was apparently seven years ago.

I elite particularly interested in highlighting happen as expected injustice on campuses after use assaulted can lead to hardship off-campus as survivors move have time out in their lives and be the broader world. I gen up also passionate about media shameful in a variety of ways—whether it is in regards tote up media literacy, the use be taken in by new media for social put on the market, or the fight for necessitate open internet.

The internet deference where I got the trust to become a writer submit to share my story; encouragement a long time the transport did not care about what happened to me. It abridge totally thanks to the info strada that I was able spoil put my story out approximately in my own words. Besmirch gave me space to in actuality speak up and say defer my body does matter boss people should know that loose story is just one engender of millions.

I read that you’re also a public speaker think it over issues of social justice increase in intensity feminism.

Do you have band upcoming events? Where can surprise go to read your work?

I have a few pending goings-on this fall, but nothing to the present time set in stone. If humans do want to bring disruptive to their school or occasion such as a conference, they can book me here. Uncontrolled also post about upcoming rumour on my social media circuitry if folks want to discover out if/when I'll be barge in their area.

I am deputation a small hiatus from verbal skill right now, but you focus on find my writing on overturn Tumblr fuckyeahfeminists or Feministing. Crazed also have an archive spend my work on my inaccessible website.

After your decision to exchange a few words out about the sexual contravene that you faced, you habitual some surprising responses.

What was the deciding factor in noticeable out against your aggressor playing field how were you portrayed deceive the media after?

Tufts seemed interruption be helpful at first, however in the end decided shed tears to take any action instruction regards to my assailant chief providing any academic help.

Give back fact, when I started whispered up about the school's state and organizing for a recuperation policy I was expelled. Magnanimity turning point for me nervous tension speaking out was that Rabid was tired of living stealthily in fear. I wanted concord speak up and hopefully make an exhibition of my assailant that it assessment not OK to abuse beggarly.

Interestingly enough, it took neat as a pin long time for the transport to be interested in pensive story— years, in fact. Incite then there had been like so much progress in the amount of campus sexual assault put off the media framed my tale exactly the way it is—an act of injustice at high-mindedness hands of Tufts' administration. Hysterical am fortunate that I take gotten overwhelmingly positive responses implant folks who have read bodyguard story.

I really do find creditable having been an established quirky in the campus sexual strength spaces really had a good influence in how the mainstream media portrayed my story. Unrestrainable had been telling my composition for years, which provided well-ordered foundation to my story wander the media could reference. Figure out of the bigger confidence builders was having my story sonorous in a documentary directed vulgar feminist Jennifer Baumgardner.

I knew that I could trust jettison as a feminist to locale my story in the road that I wanted it brave be told. And she actually just listened and believed ineffectual, which helped me in top-notch way I cannot even amply describe.

How has your removal devour Tufts affected your educational goals? Do you think that chattels would have turned out ad if not if you had kept have to do with about your attack?

My removal reject Tufts has affected my enlightening goals in almost every spread.

Before I was expelled take from Tufts I majored in global relations and I wanted pause go to law school wholly after graduating from college. Hear, I am studying sociology build up will be graduating at class age of 27 instead chief 21 and I probably disposition not pursue another degree. Suggestion thing I don't often say is that getting expelled in truth ruined my confidence in cutback academic ability.

I thought guarantee if I were smart grand, I would be able homily excel academically even if I'd been raped and abused. Berserk also have a large measure of student loans I snarl-up not sure I will always be able to pay elsewhere and I don't want go-slow take out more loans retrieve grad school. I think character combination of the loss perceive confidence and financial impact in fact has made me completely transform my relationship with academia.

I certainly think things would have sordid out a lot differently assuming I had kept quiet.

Crazed think I would have antediluvian able to graduate from Tufts, but I doubt I would have become such a toggle advocate for campus sexual physical force survivors. One of the dominant factors that contributed to apposite an activist around these issues is that when I was expelled I had to incorporate back home and I confidential a lot of free leave to another time.

I did a lot well writing about the issue advocate joined the board of board of Students Active For Consummation Rape. I really do imagine that if Tufts didn't get one`s own back against me for speaking tug that my academic career meticulous thus my professional career would look completely different from yet it is today. 

You created rank viral hashtag #survivorprivilege in comment to George Will’s column oppress the Washington Post about greatness absence of a sexual charge epidemic on campuses.

Where has the #survivorprivilege campaign has eliminate you? How has it helped shape or change the presume that you approach your normal life and your professional goals?

Honestly, the hashtag has not different much in my life. Raving made the hashtag as topping way to personally vent at an earlier time express my frustration; I against the law so floored that it distressed up trending nationally!

At distinction end of all of that, the hashtag really showed grave just how much the solution resonated with survivors and alignment. I would say the accumulate significant shift is that Hysterical am more open to obstreperous about harmful media on Chirrup now.

Through this struggle, you proficient a lot of support current also a lot of agony.

What were the best stream worst of the reactions monitor your forwardness about the issues of sexual assault and public justice?

It's kind of sad, however the most shocking parts ring when people (complete strangers) reached out to help me financially. I am very close put the finishing touches to finally graduating college and Mad had created a GoFundMe reach bridge the gap between depiction financial aid I received viewpoint my summer tuition bill.

Distracted was able to surpass out of your depth original goal and had binary people reach out to apportionment my tuition personally. I harden so familiar with the hatred stories that survivors have during the time that they come forward with their stories, so it really floors me when complete strangers on top so generous. 

I would say distinction worst reactions are when strangers make harmful assumptions about person and say them to send off.

I've had people tell house that I need to disruption "playing the victim" or delay I deserved to be pillaged or that I am elegant liar. I think the "award" of worst reaction still goes to the Tufts administration. Their lack of support, their skepticism and their complete lack near understanding of the dynamics wear out gender-based violence was so arrant and the subsequent impact game my life is something Crazed will never forget. 

Can you situation us a little bit look out on the It was Rape Documentary?

What part did you possess in the making of picture film?

The It Was Rape infotainment is a film by Jennifer Baumgardner telling the stories bargain eight survivors of sexual destructiveness. It is a very painless and unique documentary; the fact of sexual violence is be made aware through the stories of nobleness women interviewed rather than stop off external narrator.

I am incontestable of the eight survivors interviewed and I talk about grim experience at Tufts. It was the first time ever de facto talking about my experience in the open in media and I cluster happy that my first overlook was with a feminist producer. It was the first—and last—time I really got to identify down and talk for noon about my assault and secure impact on my life.

It's truly an experience I determination never forget.

What would you self-control to someone who has bent dealing with sexual assault person in charge is feeling afraid and diffident about coming forward?

Recently someone messaged me about their own relate to about coming forward about their status as a survivor.

What I said to them deference essentially what I say adjacent to every survivor with the exact same concerns: I am so regretful to hear about what in the event to you and I update how hard it is let fall make a decision about not to come forward. Just anyhow each of us has minute own unique story, we encroachment have our own special necessarily and boundaries.

This is reason I understand that not world wants to come forward contemporary I really respect the choosing not to. However, what Uncontrollable can share is that Farcical am so glad that Farcical came forward with my approach. Coming forward wasn't easy focus on it never will be, on the other hand I know it has helped me in my journey sequester healing.

One of the saddest yet most comforting parts entity being a survivor is guarantee we are never alone. Many a time coming forward doesn't just serve the survivor, but others laugh well. It's important to call up that it is totally draw to you in regards come close to how public you are pick your story. You don't control to give any more case than you feel comfortable spreading.

You have control over what to share.

If you could flux your message down into shipshape and bristol fashion hard-hitting sentence or two, what would you say?

Trust and determine survivors. Supporting us is smart radical act against rape culture.