Act Now!

When Anne K. Ream was raped 18 years ago she had no examples of how to survive the brutal assault, no one to tell her how to begin rebuilding her shattered life. Not until she became involved as a non-violence activist did Anne, a longtime Chicagoan, realize how many other women had lived her nightmare and had gone on to reclaim their lives. Knowing them gave her hope.

“I thought, ‘If they can do this, I can do this, too,’” she says.

Today, Anne, 43, has not only reclaimed her life, but is trying to eradicate that sense of isolation for other victims of sexual violence by giving them voices and faces through The Voices and Faces Project (TVFP) <www.voicesandfaces.org>, a non-profit national survivors network she founded in 2003.

Because of her work, Anne is SIA’s 2007-2008 recipient of the Making a Difference for Women Award, honoring women who, through personal or professional activities, work to improve the lives of women and girls. As the federation finalist, Anne received $5,000 from Soroptimist to donate to the charitable organization of her choice, which is TVFP. Nominated by SI/Chicago, Anne received $500 at the club level for her project and as the Midwestern Region winner, she was awarded $500 for her organization, and also spoke at the Midwestern Region Spring Conference about the issue of violence against women.

After her attack, Anne read more about sexual assault and was bothered by the “absence of names and faces” of victims. While this absence protects privacy, says Anne, today a Chicago-based writer and creative director, and the president of TVFP, “it also renders us faceless and reinforces a powerful stigma.”

The project shares names, faces and stories in order to shift the national and international discourse on rape and abuse, one in which victims are too often blamed and perpetrators too infrequently held accountable. “The Voices and Faces Project was created for and is largely funded and staffed by survivors who have rejected the shame, invisibility and silence thrust upon them by the broader culture,” Anne says. “We know that being public is not the right choice for every survivor and we honor those who choose not to do so. But by speaking out, we hope to reverse the attitudes that make it difficult for all survivors to rebuild their lives.”

A former senior vice president and group creative director at Leo Burnett USA, one of the country’s largest advertising and communications companies, Anne also created a compilation CD featuring many of today’s hottest female recording artists <www.voicesandfaces.org/cd.asp>. All 17 featured artists/bands are selling the CD at their concerts, further raising awareness, especially among 18-25 year-old girls who are most vulnerable to sexual assault. All proceeds benefit TVFP. Anne is also co-founder and chief creative officer for <www.Girl360.net>, a webzine and book series targeted to teen girls that will tell the stories of history’s amazing women.

In addition, Anne is writing a book based on selected stories from survivors. At the core of her work, however, is TVFP, with the site featuring an interactive online “safe zone” with actual survivor stories, a reading room with downloadable literature on rape and abuse, plus links to additional resources. The site has had more than 20 million visits and has empowered 300 women to share their personal stories of sexual violence.
.
Civic and political engagement is also a critical component of TFVP, which includes a Speakers Bureau and Community Outreach Program. In the last year, project participants have shared their stories with the United Nations Global Report on Violence Against Children and consulted with the Congressional Commission investigating sexual assault in the military, among other outreach.

Anne’s essays and opinion pieces have appeared in numerous publications, including the L.A. Times, The Chicago Tribune and WashingtonPost.com. She is co-chair of the Leadership Committee for Rape Victim Advocates, an Illinois nonprofit, and also serves on the board of the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). Most recently, she joined forces with the Victims Rights Law Center and is coordinating a national summit, scheduled for October, that brings together leaders within the women’s and anti-sexual violence movement to discuss where efforts are best spend over the next decade.

Of TVFP and the award, Anne says, “At the heart of our work is a simple belief – that public testimony can change the world, making it a more fair, just and safe place for women. One of the reasons the Making a Difference for Women Award is such an honor is that Soroptimist so clearly shares and understands that belief. I am grateful for the recognition but more importantly I am reminded of the collective power of our voices and our civic engagement.”