Monument Quilt blankets National Mall with rape survivors' messages

Activists and sexual assault survivors displayed quilts with messages of grief, hope, and empowerment on the National Mall this weekend.

The statements are part of The Monument Quilt, a project spearheaded by FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture, to raise awareness and give survivors a voice. The goal is to create a sense of community and support, symbolically stitching together individuals' expressions of abuse. As the Monument Quilt website notes, "We are creating a new culture where survivors are publicly supported, rather than publicly shamed." When the project is finished the quilt will blanket over a mile of the National Mall, spelling out the words "NOT ALONE."

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