In human trafficking and domestic violence campaigns, there is a tendency to show the most gruesome images or the most devastating testimonies to shock the audience. This is called "trauma porn." It retraumatizes the survivor and reduces them to their worst moment.
Narrative transportation theory suggests that when a person is "transported" into a story, their critical defenses lower. They stop arguing with the facts and start connecting with the human. This is the holy grail for awareness campaigns. You cannot change a mind that is in a state of debate; you can only change a heart that is in a state of connection. Perhaps the most explosive example of this synergy is the #MeToo movement. It is crucial to remember that #MeToo was not a celebrity invention of 2017. It was coined in 2006 by survivor and activist Tarana Burke. For eleven years, it existed as a whisper, a tool for empathy among young women of color. www.mom sleeping small son rape mobi.com
The breakthrough in cancer awareness came when organizations like the American Cancer Society and grassroots groups like The Breasties shifted to survivor-led narratives. Instead of focusing on the tumor, they focused on the thriver . In human trafficking and domestic violence campaigns, there
Furthermore, "deepfake" technology could be used by abusers to create false narratives about their victims. The next frontier of awareness campaigns will not just be telling stories, but verifying them. They stop arguing with the facts and start