The voices, faces and stories of survivors of gender-related violence are critical to creating lasting social and legal change — and the media can help us amplify those voices in powerful ways. But how can survivors speaking to the media do so most effectively? What things do you need to consider before agreeing to take part in a journalistic story? How do you weigh the risks versus the rewards of coming forward? What are effective strategies for using individual stories to illuminate systemic injustices? What new challenges will survivors encounter in our social media-driven world? “Your Voice, Your Choice” was created to help survivors and their allies think through questions like this, while preparing survivors for strategic media engagement.

A desire to speak out is important, but preparation is key. Survivors of rape and abuse can talk about the issue of gender-related violence with unique authority. And for many who have lived through such violence, the act of sharing their stories can be transformative, and even healing. And yet. Speaking publicly about an issue that the world is still largely unwilling to confront can be a harrowing and even retraumatizing experience. At CounterQuo, we believe that the best way to embark on a media journey that you will not regret is to think through the challenges you may encounter before you come forward. That’s what “Your Voice, Your Choice” is all about.