Memorial drawing
 

Rapes of Passage - a voice for the raped women

The Memorial



 


Memorial sketch

© Images copyright to Una Graye
 

This is a preliminary sketch of the memorial.

Because rape is a soul murder, the term grave seems appropriate here.

The hope is that once the first memorial is erected (and they should all be the same design so that the symbol is recognizable world wide) that groups of women will start to raise funds for a memorial(s) in their own country.

The design of the memorial is of an concave egg shaped marble form standing apprx. 18 feet high. It is placed on top of two white marble plinths.

In the lower plinth, in front of the egg, will be inset a circle of red marble porphyry, upon which a bronze firebowl, or tripod, will stand burning an eternal flame.

Around the edge of the lower plinth will be a channel of fresh running water, across which the woman steps in order to write her name on a piece of paper, and place in the fire.

If she wishes she may drop the burning paper in the stream of water.

The symbolism is as follows:

White marble = purity and endurance

Red marble = blood shed during rape or death by rape

Running water = transformation, movement toward wholeness

Flame = rebirth, regeneration, renascence

It is hoped that this place may provide a raped woman a place in which she can destroy the soul murder of rape, by making a symbolic act toward freedom and rebirth and actualize her own healing. Ritual is a powerful moment and places are needed for this to take place.