The first 8 days of The Scarlet Cord at ArtPrize 2014 have been exhausting but well worth it. In addition to currently being in the Top 25, visitor responses have proven the importance of confronting human trafficking and bringing hope and healing to survivors.
Here are just a few highlights:
Healing Tears
Tears are words the mouth can’t say nor can the heart bear. Joshus Wisenbaker
At The Scarlet Cord installation, a woman suddenly grabbed me, buried her face into my shoulder, and started sobbing. A moment later, before I had a chance to respond, she quickly walked away—and blended into the ArtPrize crowd.
Meeting a Pimp
The following story was shared with me at ArtPrize:
In 1982 while attending school in Ann Arbor, I was at a laundromat washing my jeans. A man came up to me and started telling me about his beautiful apartment and asked if I would like to see it.
A nearby woman yelled, “Don’t touch her.” Then she turned to me and screamed, “Get the hell out of here.”
I left my jeans in the washing machine and ran out of the laundromat.
At the time, I was too naive to recognize the danger. But that woman saved me from being trafficked by a pimp.
Building Convictions
After being convicted about pornography at summer camp, a group of male—and female—students threw their iPhones into the bonfire because their phones were full of pornographic images.
The Scarlet Cord Responses
- Through tears, a young adult said, “I’m not usually into art but this one touched me.”
- These three words slipped out mingled with tears: “I’ve been there.”
- An inspired and upset male college student said, “What can I do?”
Sex with Children?
A woman stopped me in a public restroom at ArtPrize and said, “My husband has a personal question for you.” She continued, “How do adults have sex with these children?”
I responded, “They engaged in oral or anal sex with children.”
Horrified, the woman thanked me.
As she left, I thought: Yeah, the math just doesn’t add up. I’m horrified too.
Thank you for partnering with me and supporting The Scarlet Cord.
