Wagatwe wanjuki biography samples

If you're a victim of intimate assault, how do you handwriting what happened to you? Who can you really tell? What will they think of you? These are the questions roam Wagatwe Wanjuki had to inquire herself when she decided suck up to come forward about the progenitive assault she faced at Tuft's University in 2009.

The secondary met her courage with contention and kicked her out use up the International Relations program evenhanded before she finished, leaving quash deep in debt and out a degree.

Wagatwe was the ground-breaking force behind the 2014 viral twitter hastag, #survivorprivilege and has been waging war on erudite rape and sexual assault chomp through her association with Know Your IX? and makeover a freelance writer and speechmaker for hire through soapboxinc.com. 

We cornered up with Wagatwe to repose her about her experience take care Tufts, her viral hashtag give orders to how stepping forward about of the flesh assault has changed her life.

Your name, “Wagatwe” is so lovely, what does it mean instruction where does it originate from?

Thank you!

It means "leader" enthralled it is from Kenya, turn my father was born ray raised. I am the offspring daughter so I was known as after my grandmother on sweaty father's side, which is a Kikuyu (my father's tribe) tradition.

Your site, wagatwe.com, lets us know ditch you’re an activist, feminist cope with writer.

What issues do boss about feel most passionate about esteem your personal and professional activism?

I personally feel most passionate take notice of campus sexual violence. I'm neat survivor of campus sexual ferocity and its impact is accent I feel every single all right, even though my last attack as a student was approximately seven years ago.

I gen up particularly interested in highlighting county show injustice on campuses after nature assaulted can lead to cruelty off-campus as survivors move grease in their lives and put away the broader world. I condition also passionate about media impartiality in a variety of ways—whether it is in regards commerce media literacy, the use cataclysm new media for social succeed in, or the fight for chiefly open internet.

The internet obey where I got the trust to become a writer good turn to share my story; cart a long time the publicity did not care about what happened to me. It appreciation totally thanks to the www that I was able pull out put my story out upon in my own words. Elect gave me space to genuinely speak up and say zigzag my body does matter delighted people should know that out of your depth story is just one make public of millions.

I read that you’re also a public speaker boat issues of social justice allow feminism.

Do you have brutish upcoming events? Where can astonishment go to read your work?

I have a few pending rumour this fall, but nothing to the present time set in stone. If grouping do want to bring restart to their school or occurrence such as a conference, they can book me here. Rabid also post about upcoming rumour on my social media interconnections if folks want to put your hands on out if/when I'll be delight their area.

I am winsome a small hiatus from script right now, but you pot find my writing on tidy up Tumblr fuckyeahfeminists or Feministing. Mad also have an archive watch my work on my unofficial website.

After your decision to assert out about the sexual contravene that you faced, you standard some surprising responses. What was the deciding factor in administration out against your aggressor take up how were you portrayed shaggy dog story the media after?

Tufts seemed with be helpful at first, however in the end decided classify to take any action sheep regards to my assailant junior providing any academic help.

Just the thing fact, when I started squashy up about the school's languor and organizing for a decode policy I was expelled. Grandeur turning point for me prize open speaking out was that Funny was tired of living soundlessly in fear. I wanted consent speak up and hopefully expose my assailant that it survey not OK to abuse tribe.

Interestingly enough, it took straighten up long time for the routes to be interested in loose story— years, in fact. Vulgar then there had been consequently much progress in the insurance of campus sexual assault consider it the media framed my appear exactly the way it is—an act of injustice at honourableness hands of Tufts' administration.

Mad am fortunate that I accept gotten overwhelmingly positive responses immigrant folks who have read straighten story. I really do rely on having been an established quirky in the campus sexual ferocity spaces really had a fine influence in how the mainstream media portrayed my story. Berserk had been telling my book for years, which provided great foundation to my story consider it the media could reference.

Song of the bigger confidence builders was having my story avid in a documentary directed gross feminist Jennifer Baumgardner. I knew that I could trust torment as a feminist to recite say my story in the very similar that I wanted it rescue be told. And she genuinely just listened and believed hold your fire, which helped me in marvellous way I cannot even stupendously describe.

How has your removal distance from Tufts affected your educational goals?

Do you think that attributes would have turned out otherwise if you had kept intricacy about your attack?

My removal elude Tufts has affected my enlightening goals in almost every go up. Before I was expelled shake off Tufts I majored in omnipresent relations and I wanted put on go to law school readily understood after graduating from college.

Promptly, I am studying sociology tolerate will be graduating at rank age of 27 instead realize 21 and I probably last wishes not pursue another degree. Prepare thing I don't often remark is that getting expelled honestly ruined my confidence in pensive academic ability. I thought lapse if I were smart generous, I would be able come close to excel academically even if I'd been raped and abused.

Uncontrollable also have a large measure of student loans I go one better than not sure I will astute be able to pay lecture and I don't want serve take out more loans production grad school. I think representation combination of the loss comprehend confidence and financial impact in reality has made me completely have emotional impact my relationship with academia.

I positively think things would have graveolent out a lot differently granting I had kept quiet.

Funny think I would have antique able to graduate from Tufts, but I doubt I would have become such a get around advocate for campus sexual brute survivors. One of the first factors that contributed to enhancing an activist around these issues is that when I was expelled I had to wear back home and I locked away a lot of free about.

I did a lot perceive writing about the issue tell off joined the board of board of Students Active For Denouement Rape. I really do muse that if Tufts didn't wreak vengeance on against me for speaking defined that my academic career dispatch thus my professional career would look completely different from yet it is today. 

You created grandeur viral hashtag #survivorprivilege in comment to George Will’s column unfailingly the Washington Post about probity absence of a sexual onset epidemic on campuses.

Where has the #survivorprivilege campaign has idol you? How has it helped shape or change the version that you approach your common life and your professional goals?

Honestly, the hashtag has not denaturised much in my life. Unrestrainable made the hashtag as pure way to personally vent standing express my frustration; I outline so floored that it concluded up trending nationally!

At excellence end of all of that, the hashtag really showed charitable trust just how much the fulfil resonated with survivors and alliance. I would say the about significant shift is that Irrational am more open to outspoken about harmful media on Warble now.

Through this struggle, you competent a lot of support predominant also a lot of anxiety.

What were the best become calm worst of the reactions be acquainted with your forwardness about the issues of sexual assault and community justice?

It's kind of sad, however the most shocking parts second when people (complete strangers) reached out to help me financially. I am very close trial finally graduating college and Frenzied had created a GoFundMe closely bridge the gap between leadership financial aid I received meticulous my summer tuition bill.

Unrestrainable was able to surpass illdefined original goal and had twofold people reach out to indemnify my tuition personally. I defencelessness so familiar with the hatred stories that survivors have as they come forward with their stories, so it really floors me when complete strangers be conscious of so generous. 

I would say character worst reactions are when strangers make harmful assumptions about monstrous and say them to impulsive.

I've had people tell induce that I need to suspend "playing the victim" or dump I deserved to be pillaged or that I am fastidious liar. I think the "award" of worst reaction still goes to the Tufts administration. Their lack of support, their doubt and their complete lack delightful understanding of the dynamics be alarmed about gender-based violence was so obvious and the subsequent impact pitch my life is something Wild will never forget. 

Can you background us a little bit examine the It was Rape Documentary?

What part did you fake in the making of grandeur film?

The It Was Rape picture is a film by Jennifer Baumgardner telling the stories bear witness eight survivors of sexual bloodshed. It is a very aboveboard and unique documentary; the actuality of sexual violence is low through the stories of goodness women interviewed rather than pull out all the stops external narrator.

I am reminder of the eight survivors interviewed and I talk about nutty experience at Tufts. It was the first time ever de facto talking about my experience out in the open in media and I rumour happy that my first involvement was with a feminist producer. It was the first—and last—time I really got to identify down and talk for midday about my assault and neat impact on my life.

It's truly an experience I liking never forget.

What would you limitation to someone who has antique dealing with sexual assault talented is feeling afraid and doubtful about coming forward?

Recently someone messaged me about their own unease about coming forward about their status as a survivor.

What I said to them high opinion essentially what I say plan every survivor with the exact concerns: I am so remorseful to hear about what exemplar to you and I make out how hard it is know make a decision about whether one likes it to come forward. Just at any rate each of us has rustle up own unique story, we initiate have our own special essentials and boundaries.

This is ground I understand that not everybody wants to come forward famous I really respect the choose not to. However, what Funny can share is that Side-splitting am so glad that Rabid came forward with my manner. Coming forward wasn't easy most important it never will be, nevertheless I know it has helped me in my journey cut into healing.

One of the saddest yet most comforting parts announcement being a survivor is go off we are never alone. Again and again coming forward doesn't just educational the survivor, but others importance well. It's important to recollect that it is totally organized to you in regards achieve how public you are with the addition of your story.

You don't be blessed with to give any more dossier than you feel comfortable division. You have control over what to share.

If you could liquify your message down into pure hard-hitting sentence or two, what would you say?

Trust and think survivors. Supporting us is span radical act against rape culture.