Some of the anonymous letters will be put into a display in the Student Union for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. If you are comfortable with your letter being added to the display, please indicate that at the top of your letter.
As you're drafting your letter, here are a few basic guidelines to keep in mind. Please read this list carefully before submitting! Letters that do not meet these guidelines will not be added to the scrapbook.
- Please do not include any personally identifying information. This would include your full name, but also information about your hometown, your age, your major, etc. We want the letters to be as anonymous as possible to protect everyone's privacy. If you would like to sign your letter, please use your first name only.
- Please do not include any explicit details or descriptions of sexual violence. If you choose to identify yourself as a survivor in your letter, you are welcome to do so. It can be valuable to let other survivors know that they are not alone. However, we do not want to unintentionally trigger any readers with graphic or specific details of assaults.
- Please do not name or describe any perpetrators of violence. Remember, the purpose of these letters is to offer solidarity and support to people who have experienced violence. We want to focus on affirmation and healing, not on the people who caused harm.
- Please try to make the letters clear, legible, and accessible to all readers. Keep in mind that a diverse range of people will read these letters, so we want to avoid any words or terms that readers might not understand (slang terms, technical language, etc.). We also want to make sure that all people can read the letters, regardless of their abilities or reading level.
- Feel free to write a letter in a language other than English! Many UNC community members speak languages other than English, so we invite you to write your letter in the language of your choice! You are also welcome to write two versions of your letter in two different languages.
If you need support or a safe space to talk after writing your letter, we invite you to contact the GVSCs. The Gender Violence Services Coordinators provide free, confidential support to anyone on campus who has experienced sexual or gender-based violence or harassment. You can email them directly at gvsc@unc.edu or visit their website at gvsc.unc.edu.
