Espavo Project

Portraits from FORGE's Espavo Project, which "aims to embody the resilience, empowerment and healing of transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary survivors" whose lives have been affected by sexual violence, are on display at the LGBT Community Center of Central PA starting April 17, 2015.

(The Espavo Project)

How does one love oneself after sexual assault? That is what a photography project, on exhibit in Harrisburg on April 17, explores within the context of the transgender community.

The Espavo Project is a series of photographs of transgender and gender non-conforming survivors of sexual assault. In collaboration with FORGE, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based organization that advocates for the rights of transgender people, the LGBT Community Center of Central PA is exhibiting photos from the project in their gallery.

Espavo Project photographer Leigh Houtaling will be at the opening reception at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 17. At the reception, Houtaling will be available to photograph survivors who wish to participate in the project.

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FORGE's goal with the Espavo Project is to contribute to "personal healing and empowerment, and offering strength and hope to the community" by capturing transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary survivors of sexual assault "in all their current, vibrant aliveness."

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Sexual assault is a catastrophic problem in the transgender community, which is disproportionately subject to violence compared to the general population. In Pennsylvania, where there are no state-level laws protecting transgender and non-binary people from hate crimes, transgender people are even more vulnerable.

When data from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey was released in 2011, the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National LGBTQ Task Force found:

12% of respondents reported that they were sexually assaulted in between Kindergarten and 12th grade

64% of respondents who reported experiencing sexual assault also attempted suicide

15% of respondents who served time in jail or prison reported experiencing sexual assault while they were incarcerated

People of color, including American Indian (24%), multiracial (18%), Asian (17%) and Black (15%) respondents, reported higher rates of sexual assault than respondents of other races

15% of transgender female respondents reported sexual assault compared to 10% of transgender male respondents

On Tuesday, May 5, FORGE's Katie Taylor will discuss the impact of sexual violence within the transgender community during the LGBT Center's Women's Group meeting at 7 p.m.

You can RSVP now for the reception at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 17 at the LGBT Community Center of Central PA in Midtown Harrisburg.