"We Will Speak" Interview with Creator, Emily Angelica

Rape culture; built by society, despised by society, yet promoted through victim blaming and accusations. A victim can come forward and be told they're lying, whereas the rapist gets off easy. It’s disgusting. Emily Angelica, a young feminist and role model, has created a movement encouraging rape victims to speak out and be heard. Her movement, We Will Speak, provides a place where victims are supported when speaking out, or speaking privately. You can find both Emily and her movement on Twitter: @femangel and @WWSMOVEMENT.

Q: why did you start the WWS movement?

A: Defending rape and sexual assault victims has always been really important to me. I get a lot of hate being a large scale feminist account. For example, a college boy was telling me he hopes I get raped again and certain things like "I hate it when girls on campus say no and make my job harder". Then it really hit me: these trolls are out in the real world everyday and although they can’t physically hurt me online, they can hurt men and women around them. I had contacted his university and they said they couldn’t do anything because it was online. This made me realize that school administration doesn’t take rape seriously until the deed has actually been done, and even then most times victims are blamed/ignored. They don’t listen to victims. They try to silence us. We Will Speak is about empowering each other and refusing to let the system keep us quiet about our abuse.

Q: So does WWS specifically aim at schools?

A: It started out specific: end rape culture on college campuses. Then as more people used it the idea grew and grew. I realized no tag yet existed to really bring us all together. I thought bigger than schools and the concept expanded to rape culture in general. The more people used it the more people I realized needed it so it became a safe platform to raise awareness, educate, and come together.

Q: Was the WWS movement also created for personal reasons?

A: When I was 15 something bad happened to me at a party. I don't want to go into too much detail because to this day the guy lives only a few blocks away from me. I blamed myself and lost a lot of friends over it. When I found the feminist community and made friends like @lexi4prez (Twitter) realized it wasn’t my fault. I opened up about dealing with sexual assault and rape. Classmates from my school saw it and started publicly mocking me/calling me a liar. I lasted one week during senior year before dropping out. I didn’t feel safe. Rape culture flourishes in high schools and colleges.

Q: Do you have bigger plans for WWS?

A: With WWS, like all hashtags, it faded progressively. However I am in a good place now and have plans to reboot the movement with even more momentum.

Q: Do you have any advice for other rape victims?

A: First and foremost it’s not your fault, If you were drunk, it’s NOT your fault. If you were too scared to fight back it’s NOT your fault. If you changed your mind about the sex before and told him no it’s not your fault. If you were flirting and were "asking for it" it’s not your fault. Unless you say so you’re never asking for it. Consent is a clear yes not the absence of a no. Don't care it all on your own. If you can't tell your parents, come to someone you trust. A friend, a counselor, even me. It's a process. I don't think you can learn to get over it as much as live with the reality of it and grow stronger and not let it prevent you to inhibit your life, relationships and self esteem. Convincing yourself that it wasn't your fault is the most important, and consequently the hardest step. Especially when we live in a society to condition us to believe it was.

Q: You also have another movement, feminist values. Can you tell us a little about that?

A: That's more of a filler educational/world issue account. As far as big accounts like that go, I recommend Feminist Culture. They’re really paving the way for that line of educational feminism.

Q: Who’s your feminist role model?

A: I have quite a few. From old school intersectionals like Kimberle Crenshaw who really founded the movement to some of my own close friends like Alexis Isabel to younger inspirational icons like Rowan Blanchard. They inspire me in different ways. Kimberle founded the entire concept of intersectional feminism, Lexi inspires me to grow everyday and Rowan gives me hope for the younger generation.