Putting pain into words can be difficult.
Rita Lawrence thinks it can also be a way to help the members of her support groups heal from their traumatic rapes.
Lawrence, a victim advocate at the Alachua County Victim Services and Rape Crisis Center, decided to create a free, one-time publication composed of art and writing submissions from rape victims.
"Survivors who participate get to say what they need to say for themselves," Lawrence said.
She said she hopes the magazine will not only be a means of support for other survivors of rape, but will also educate the community.
One thousand copies will be available to the public at the end of July.
Because a lot of people don't understand the far-reaching effects of being a victim of rape, the magazine will help people get rid of stereotypical views of rape, such as finding fault with the victim or the belief that the assailants are always strangers, she said.
The publication will also allow the community to be more open about discussing the issue, Lawrence said.
She hopes to provide a diverse range of victims' experiences and thoughts through the magazine.
If the publication is successful and the budget allows, she wants to continue the project. In the future, Lawrence said she will consider allowing the loved ones of victims, whom she refers to as secondary victims, to submit work.
Tanja van der Veen, a victim advocate at the University Police Department's Office of Victim Services, said the most difficult step toward healing can be disclosure to someone you feel comfortable with, whether it's a friend, counselor, victim advocate or pastor.
Writing may or may not be helpful for victims, van der Veen said.
"Everybody has different personalities and finds different things to be therapeutic," she said.
