Naomie Barnes (Memorial University of Newfoundland)
This paper will explore attitudes and behaviors around sexual assault within the context of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon Church). Drawing on personal narratives of sexual assault survivors who live in the “Mormon Corridor,” I will discuss the vernacular beliefs and power structures that create a space where survivors are often shamed into silence. I will also explore how sharing personal experience narratives surrounding sexual assault helps survivors regain their power, navigate uprooted beliefs, and lay groundwork for changes that may benefit future survivors.
Part of 03-02 Telling Their Truths: The Power of Women's Personal Experience Narratives, Thursday, November 02, 2:30 pm–4:30 pm