GTG-23 | I’s Story | SPB 2015

GTG asked: What is the main message of your story? 

The main point of my story is that women should not keep silent and feel ashamed. It’s really not their fault that a man makes them suffer.

GTG asked: Why is it important to get our stories out?

It’s very useful to tell stories, not to keep things inside and it’s useful for others and for you too because it’s like a closure.

I think it’s important for people. First of all, it’s important because it makes them feel better. While scripting my own story, I realized that working with victims helped me to understand my aunt. I could never understand her and even criticized her [before]. 

GTG-22 | A’s Story | NYC 2015

GTG asked: What is your story about, and why did you tell it?  

My story is based on domestic violence that occurred in my house as a young woman growing up. I witnessed a lot of violence and trauma within my home and between my parents. My father was an alcoholic he was very abusive toward my mother. My mom was very…well she defended herself.

I have so many stories, but that story was really a story that I thought of when I first proposed to do the project; I thought I have a story about my parents. That’s the story that stood out cause a lot of women don’t actually fight back in domestic violence cause it’s toward men, and my mother got arrested… My dad called the police on my mom and I was shocked [because] my dad beat my mom so many times. They used to fight all the time; they used to be crazy. My mom never called the cops – never took my father to court. 

GTG-21 | J’s Story | NYC 2015

GTG asked: What would you like young women to take away?

My main message is you are not alone. You cannot overlook it; you can get over it. You are stronger than this situation… [You are] not going to forget it, it was something that was stolen from you, but it’s not going to define you. It’s not.

You are not the only one, and don’t be scared that monster that might live down the hall from you or down your block from you, he might not necessarily be your dad he might be another male person in your life, but it is OK. You will be OK, You will be OK. You will prevail over all of that. Don’t let that define you as an individual. It is fine for you to hurt, it is fine for you to cry, you are human, but don’t let it define you – go over it – you are so much more than that. 

GTG-20 | D’s Story | NYC 2015

GTG asked: What is the main message of your story? 

My story is about the things that happened to me when I was a child. I didn’t have the best childhood and I know that’s relatable to a lot of people. Basically what I was trying to give to people is that no matter what you go through you are not your past – you grow from your pain and you can grow from pain, that’s why toward the end of my story I made sure it was a positive ending just to prove that point that you are not your past or your pain, you grow from it.

GTG asked: What would you like young women to take away? 

I want women to feel like you can be strong as women – that your abuse is not you and you shouldn’t let your pain and your past make you who you are. I was looking at certain stories and they left on a bad note . . . they made me sad . . .  like they had no hope, that’s why I made sure in mine I gave them something positive from the whole thing.

Women we need to stick together and we need to be strong together. We need to learn how to be strong in all reality, some women don’t stick together and some will be like, “It’s her fault.” I have never thought it, but people did that to my mom.  I’ve been through it because the abuser disguises himself as the good guy all the time; it would hurt me when women would be like, “Maybe it’s her fault”. And women we should know each other because we are all one, and we need to stand up and stick up for each other. 

GTG-19 | D’s Story | SPB 2015

GTG asked: What would you like young women to take away? 

I would like that a girl or a woman or a teenager who experienced a similar event does not drive herself into a dark corner, be afraid of everything and everyone, meaning men altogether. Just think if such a thing happened you can’t go and change your past. There is anger that the most feminine thing is taken away from me but you shouldn’t be thinking about it all of the time, life continues and you should continue living.

Don’t focus on this story, try to move on. You’ll meet your person, your love and even if you tell him this story he won’t despise you for that…

Be stronger than this and try to carry on. Girl power, moral power, mental power.

GTG asked: What made you take part in GTG? 

I would have never thought I’d be telling my story to the whole world. It’s just when you want to speak out. I chose my rape story as the most painful one. I just can’t think of anything more painful. I told this story just the way I wanted to tell it. [It might not be clear in the story, but D spoke in her interview how this rape was perpetrated by a so-called “friend”]. 

GTG-18 | A’s Story | SPB 2015

GTG asked: Why this story?

It was hard to decide which story to tell, the more you reflect on discrimination or violence the more you notice its manifestation in everything. I have picked the most positive story of all. When I recorded the story for the first time I broke into tears because I had forgotten how bad I used to feel and [how I] lived in constant fear.

GTG asked: What would you like young women to take away?

First of all that there is a way out, and your weakness is an illusion. A girl can do anything a man can do who seems to be stronger dues to his appearance and mass. A girl can do things better than a man. Just like I managed to do, and I’d like every girl to know that she can do anything and even better than a man. 

GTG-17 | Y’s Story | SPB 2015

GTG asked: What is the main message of your story and what would you like young women to take away? 

Generations of women in my family before me lived dominated by each other.

I would like every person to believe that they can change their own life – that they can get rid of the shame and the desire to blame someone else for what’s happening in their life. They need to believe that every obstacle makes us stronger and gives us the chance to rise above ourselves.

I would like that people who watch this story do not feel hopeless. I’d like to remind them that love and light is inside of every one of us. As long as we believe in light, it will shine and project outwards. 

GTG-16 | B’s Story | NYC 2015

GTG asked: Why did you tell this story, and how does your story relate to violence against women?

I wanted to touch base on something a bit different…. I feel like a lot of women my age or even a little older than me live with their parents and you should be able to express how you feel whatever your situation is without feeling like you have no voice. You have you have a voice and you should be able to speak up – don’t let anyone hold you back.

GTG-15 | U’s Story | NYC 2015

GTG asked: What is the main message of your story? 

I am currently in a relationship and my boyfriend he wants me to be materialistic and I am not materialistic. I don’t like to get my nails done; sometimes I bite my nails. I don’t like to get my hair done; I like to go natural. He does not like it, and he looks at all these models and singers – they give society what they want society to look like, and I’m not going to walk around with a big butt.

GTG asked: What would you like young women to take away? 

To be yourself, don’t let anybody change you... To be themselves no matter what relationship they are in, no matter who is in that relationship with you, just be yourself at all times. Don’t let nobody make you who you are.

GTG asked: Is this violence?

Yes it’s psychological violence it’s almost diminishing you, making you into something you are not – that you don’t want to be fixing you changing you, there is nothing wrong with you, you are perfect the way you are.