A bucket of chalk and a powerful hashtag: Vancouver woman reclaims site of assault
Posted June 14, 2019 6:41 am.
Last Updated June 14, 2019 1:17 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Three decades after she was sexually assaulted in Stanley Park, Chantal is returning to the scene of her rape to make a bold statement.
Armed with nothing but her own strength and a bucket of sidewalk chalk — she’s reclaiming the space by telling her story in the place her trauma began.
“As I carried on, I drew the heart, reminded myself I wasn’t alone, wrote out what I was doing and why; it just started feeling more empowering and more and more powerful,” she says in an interview with CityNews Vancouver.
In blue sidewalk chalk she writes on the park’s pathway “I was raped here at 16 yrs old. I’ve been afraid to walk here since then. Today, 30 years later I reclaim this space. Join me. -C.M #ThisIsWhere”
Today I was compelled to do a cathartic thing, & I didn't know how pple would react – but within the span of 15 minutes, 9 separate strangers sat next to me & shared their sexual assault stories, including locations. 6 of them said they wanted to follow suit, so I shared my chalk pic.twitter.com/0xv9pMfKE5
— Chantal (@chantaliylace) June 12, 2019
Within 15 minutes, Chantal says nine women stopped to tell their own stories, including where the assault occurred.
“A couple people asked if it would be okay if they did the same thing. I had a little bucket of chalk so I gave them some chalk,” she says.
After squeezing her tightly, one woman tells Chantal what the chalky message means to her.
“This is amazing and you are so brave … Like, hug a stranger brave.”
I usually walk this pathway from Stanley Park to Second Beach when I want some fresh air. But today I saw this and it’s so disturbing to think that this area brings back memories of trauma for many. #ThisIsWhere pic.twitter.com/DWgz1p2ydM
— பஸீஹர (@fxzeeha) June 13, 2019
Chantal wants others to use the hashtag to drive home the sheer volume of violence women deal with.
“I think it would be very, very interesting and probably a little shocking for a lot of people to see how much of our city might be covered in chalk marks if everyone decided to share their story and make a mark,” she says.
