For Sexual Assault Awareness Month, I set out to create something that would do more than mark the occasion. I wanted to build a space where survivors could tell their own stories in their own words, and where anyone watching could walk away with real resources and a sense that they are not alone.
The result is Breaking the Silence: Stories of Strength in Tampa Bay, a docuseries I produced through WTR Cooler Studio’s Artist in Residence program.
This was an incredibly personal project for me. I am featured in the documentary myself, telling my own story. What started as a way to advocate for survivors opened up into a source of deep healing for me along the way.
That is how I treat every project I take on, and this one became one of the most meaningful I have ever made.
Sexual assault is one of those subjects people avoid talking about, and that silence can leave survivors feeling isolated. The numbers show why that silence is so costly.
In the United States, an American is sexually assaulted on average every 68 seconds.Â
One in six women and one in thirty-three men will experience an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.Â
Yet the majority of assaults are never reported to police, which means countless survivors carry their experiences without ever being heard. The goal of this series was to break that silence. By giving survivors a platform to share their experiences honestly, the project creates room for healing, understanding, and connection across the Tampa Bay community.
At the heart of this docuseries are the survivors who trusted me with their stories. Aris, Noel, Keben, Krysha, and Da’Lauren each sat down to share deeply personal experiences with courage and openness.
The series also includes important context and resources. Clara Reynolds, CEO of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, joined the project to explain what sexual assault is and to point survivors toward support and resources.Â
Dr. Jerrica Oliver Peets, PhD, a mental health counseling expert, contributed professional insight on healing and recovery.Â
There is also a candid conversation on men and sexual assault with Keban and Met, along with the full feature film that ties the series together.
This project came to life through WTR Cooler Studio’s Artist in Residence program, which gives local Tampa creatives the chance to bring their ideas to life in a fully supported studio space, free of charge.
The program selects one artist every other month, provides them with studio time and thirty days to complete their project, then hosts a showcase to celebrate the finished work. Breaking the Silence was featured at that showcase on March 22nd at WTR Cooler Studio, surrounded by friends, family, and community.
- If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, help is available.
- The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay can be reached by dialing 211.
- The National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-656-4673.
These stories were shared so that others might feel seen. No one has to carry their story alone.
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Credits
- Written, produced, and directed by Ta’Bria Snowden
- Featuring survivors: Aris, Ta’Bria Snowden, Noel, Keben, Krysha, and Da’Lauren
- Clara Reynolds, CEO, Crisis Center of Tampa Bay
- Jerrica Oliver Peets, PhD, Mental Health Counseling Expert
- Men and Sexual Assault segment featuring Keban and Met
- Created through the Artist in Residence program at WTR Cooler Studio
- Showcase premiere, March 22nd, WTR Cooler Studio, Tampa
This work by Ta'Bria Snowden is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
This work by Ta'Bria Snowden is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
