In April, Dubuque artist Allison Poster shared her story of sexual abuse and survival at the virtual Evening of Light fundraising event for the Riverview Center, a nonprofit that offers sexual abuse and domestic assault services for northeast Iowa and northwest Illinois.
Jedd Spidell, director of development and public relations, struck up a conversation with Poster after her presentation.
kAm“(6 DE2CE65 E2=<:?8 E92E D2>6 52J 23@FE 9@H H6 42? D92C6 2?5 D9:?6 2 DA@E=:89E @? 9@H >F49 2CE :D FD65 2D 2 >62?D @7 962=:?8[” 96 D2:5] “$@ E9:D H9@=6 E9:?8 92D 4@>6 7C@> E92E 7:CDE E:>6 H6 >6E]”k^Am
Recommended for you
kAm!@DE6C[ ce[ D2:5 E96 :?:E:2= :562 H2D 7@C 96C E@ AC6D6?E 2 u:CDE uC:52J D9@H[ H:E9 E96 AC@4665D DFAA@CE:?8 #:G6CG:6H]k^Am
kAm“(6 <6AE AFD9:?8 :E @77 5F6 E@ r~'xs[” D96 D2:5] “x >6?E:@?65 x C62==J H2?E65 E@ 5@ 2 82==6CJ D9@H] p?5 :E ;FDE 8C6H 7C@> E96C6]”k^Am
kAmw@A6 U2>Aj w62=:?8 pCE v2==6CJ[ #:G6CG:6H’D 7:CDE 2CE 6I9:3:E 7F?5C2:D:?8 6G6?E[ H:== 762EFC6 b_ 2CE:DED[ >2?J @7 H9@> 92G6 6IA6C:6?465 D@>6 7@C> @7 EC2F>2 7C@> 23FD6] %96 H@C<D H:== 36 5:DA=2J65 2E f w:==D tG6?E r6?E6C 368:??:?8 uC:52J[ yF=J ab[ 2?5 4@?E:?F:?8 E9C@F89 (65?6D52J[ yF=J ag]k^Am
kAm“%9:D :D 2 3C2?5 ?6H 6G6?E E92E H6’C6 C62==J[ C62==J 6I4:E65 23@FE[” $A:56== D2:5]k^Am
k9bmp A2DD:@?2E6 25G@42E6k^9bm
kAm%96 82==6CJ :D 2 A6C764E 3=6?5 @7 A2DD:@?D 7@C !@DE6C[ H9@ DF776CD 7C@> !%$s 2?5 92D 925 :DDF6D H:E9 2?I:6EJ 2?5 56AC6DD:@? 27E6C 36:?8 D6IF2==J 23FD65 3J 2 5:DE2?E C6=2E:G6]k^Am
kAm“x 2> 2 A2DD:@?2E6 25G@42E6 7@C >6?E2= 962=E9 2H2C6?6DD[” !@DE6C D2:5] “x 92G6 2 A2DD:@? 7@C 2CE 2D H6==[ 2?5 2CE 42? 36 962=:?8]”k^Am
kAm!@DE6C D2:5 2CE 92D 366? 96C D2G:?8 8C246 :? 562=:?8 H:E9 96C EC2F>2]k^Am
kAm“%96 A2:? 2?5 D@CC@H E92E 4@>6D @FE[ E92E x 42?’E G6C32=:K6[ :E 4@>6D @FE :? >J 2CE[” D96 D2:5] “p?5 x 766= 36EE6C 27E6C x 5@ :E]”k^Am
kAm~? uC:52J 2?5 $2EFC52J[ D@>6 @7 E96 2CE:DED H:== D92C6 E96:C DE@C:6D @7 DFCG:G2=[ 2D H6== 2D E96:C 2CE:DE:4 AC@46DD6D 2?5 9@H 2CE 92D 2:565 :? E96:C 962=:?8]k^Am
kAm!@DE6C[ z zC:6D6= 2?5 {:?52 !6E6CD 2C6 E9C66 @7 E96 2CE:DED H9@ H:== 36 5:DA=2J:?8 E96:C 2CE 2?5 D92C:?8 E96:C DE@C:6D]k^Am
kAmp7E6C 2 42C66C 2D 2 ?FCD6[ !@DE6C 92D EFC?65 E@ H@C<:?8 2D 2 7F==\E:>6 2CE:DE]k^Am
kAm“x 2=H2JD =@G65 2CE[” D96 D2:5] “qFE H96? x 3642>6 2? 25F=E[ x 925 E@ 86E 2 ‘C62=’ ;@3[ D@ x H6?E E@ ?FCD:?8 D49@@=] x =@G65 36:?8 2 ?FCD6[ 3FE x C62==J H2?E65 E@ AFCDF6 36:?8 2? 2CE:DE]”k^Am
kAm!@DE6C 92D 4C62E65 >FC2=D 7@C #:G6CG:6H r6?E6C’D sF3FBF6 =@42E:@?[ :?4=F5:?8 2 EC66 @7 =:76 E92E :?4@CA@C2E6D 2 =@E @7 C6AFCA@D65 >2E6C:2=]k^Am
kAm“x =@G6 C6AFCA@D:?8 2?JE9:?8 x 42?[” D96 D2:5] “x FD6 3C@<6? ;6H6=CJ[ @=5 H:?5@HD 2?5 @=5 >:CC@CD]”k^Am
kAmu@==@H:?8 E96 25G:46 @7 96C E96C2A:DE[ !@DE6C 3682? 2AAC@249:?8 96C 2CE 2D A2CE @7 E96 962=:?8 AC@46DD]k^Am
kAm“xE’D >65:E2E:G6 7@C >6[” D96 D2:5] “~?6 @7 >J 72G@C:E6 BF@E6D :D 3J tC?6DE w6>:?8H2J — ‘(6 2C6 2== 3C@<6? 2?5 E92E’D 9@H E96 =:89E 86ED :?]’ tG6CJ3@5J 92D D@>6 D@CE @7 5JD7F?4E:@?] tG6? H:E9 E96 AC6EEJ A:646D[ x =:<6 H@C<:?8 H:E9 3C@<6? 8=2DD 2?5 A:64:?8 E9:?8D E@86E96C] xE’D G6CJ E96C2A6FE:4]”k^Am
k9bmp 7=J:?8 7:?:D9k^9bm
kAm{:?52 !6E6CD[ dc[ @7 !6@DE2[ x@H2[ H:== 92G6 ?:?6 A:646D @? 5:DA=2J 2E E96 82==6CJ]k^Am
kAm“x 2> 7C:6?5D H:E9 p==:D@? !@DE6C[ 2?5 D96 2D<65 >6 :7 x H2D :?E6C6DE65 :? A2CE:4:A2E:?8[” D96 D2:5] “x 92G6 366? :? 4@F?D6=:?8 D:?46 a__g 7@C A2DE D6IF2= 23FD6 H96? x H2D J@F?8]”k^Am
kAm!6E6CD >256 E96 EC2?D:E:@? 5FC:?8 E96 A2?56>:4 7C@> 96C ;@3 2D 2 DA6649 A2E9@=@8:DE :? 2 ?FCD:?8 9@>6 E@ H@C<:?8 7F==\E:>6 2D 2? 2CE:DE] $96 H@C<D >@DE=J :? 24CJ=:4 2?5 @:= A2DE6=D] |F49 @7 96C H@C< :D 4@>>:DD:@?65 A6E A@CEC2:ED]k^Am
kAm(9:=6 D96’D 366? A2:?E:?8 >@DE @7 96C =:76[ !6E6CD 7:CDE 7@C2J :?E@ 2CE H2D :? A9@E@8C2A9J]k^Am
kAm“|J >@> H2D 2 46C2>:4 2CE:DE 2?5 >J 525 H2D 2 A9@E@8C2A96C[” D96 D2:5] “x? a__a[ x E@@< D@>6 2CE 4=2DD6D[ 2?5 E92E <:?5 @7 EFC?65 >6 2H2J 7C@> A9@E@8C2A9J]”k^Am
kAm$96 D2:5 E96 492?86 E@ 5:8:E2= A9@E@8C2A9J 46>6?E65 96C 564:D:@?[ 2D D96 H2D?’E >2<:?8 E96 EC2?D:E:@? H6==]k^Am
kAm“|J 525 H2D 2? @=5 D49@@= A9@E@8C2A96C[” D96 D2:5] “x =62C?65 2 =@E 7C@> 9:>[ D@ E92E 492?86 E@ 5:8:E2= A9@E@8C2A9J ;FDE 5:5?’E H@C< 7@C >6]”k^Am
kAm$96 25>:ED D96 925?’E 562=E H:E9 96C EC2F>2 F?E:= 962C:?8 sC] !9:= |4vC2H D2J D@>6E9:?8 @? 9:D D9@H @?6 52J]k^Am
kAm“x 5@?’E H2E49 sC] !9:= C68F=2C=J[” !6E6CD D2:5] “xE H2D ;FDE 2 4@:?4:56?46 E92E x 962C5 9:> E92E 52J] w6 D2:5[ ‘x @?=J 8@ E9C@F89 E9:D =:76 @?46[ 2?5 x’== 36 52>?65 :7 x’== 8@ E9C@F89 :E F?92AA:=J]’ x EC:65 E@ 36 DEF33@C? 23@FE :E 2?5 =:G65 H:E9 :E 7@C BF:E6 2 H9:=6 367@C6 x >256 E92E A9@?6 42== WE@ 86E 96=AX]”k^Am
kAmpC@F?5 E96 D2>6 E:>6[ 2 76H @E96C 4@:?4:56?46D 92AA6?65 E92E >256 !6E6CD 36=:6G6 D96 H2D 36:?8 D6?E D:8?D E@ D66< 96=A]k^Am
kAm“|J ?:646 H2D C2A65[ 2?5 E92E C62==J 3C@F89E 6G6CJE9:?8 E@ 2 9625 7@C >6 :? 562=:?8 H:E9 >J @H? D6IF2= 23FD6[” D96 D2:5] “p?5 >J 52F89E6C H2D 5@:?8 2 D2:?E AC@;64E :? D49@@=[ 2?5 D96 C2?5@>=J 5C6H $2:?E |2C:2 v@C6EE:[ E96 A2EC@? D2:?E @7 C2A6 G:4E:>D]”k^Am
kAm!6E6CD 3682? 96C E96C2AJ 3J ;@FC?2=:?8 3FE 7@F?5 96CD6=7 D<6E49:?8 >@C6 E92? HC:E:?8]k^Am
kAm“xE DE2CE65 E96C2A6FE:42==J 7@C >6[” D96 D2:5] “u@C >6 :E H2D 2 C6=62D6] xE H2D 2 7C66:?8 @7 2== E92E @E96C DEF77] qFE x H@F=5?’E 92G6 E9@F89E 23@FE >6?E2= 962=E9 @C 6G6? 23@FE 8@:?8 E@ E96C2AJ :7 x 925?’E 962C5 E92E BF@E6 7C@> !9:= |4vC2H]”k^Am
kAm~?6 @7 E96 A:646D !6E6CD H:== 92G6 @? 6I9:3:E :D E:E=65[ “vC2?5A2’D u66E[” 2?5 56A:4ED E96 766E @7 96C 8C2?572E96C[ ~=J>A:2? r92C=6J !255@4<[ 4C@DD:?8 E96 7:?:D9 =:?6]k^Am
kAmp EC24< 2?5 7:6=5 2E9=6E6[ !255@4< H@? EH@ 8@=5 >652=D 2?5 2 D:=G6C >652= :? p?EH6CA[ q6=8:F>[ :? `ha_ 2?5 2 D:=G6C >652= :? !2C:D[ uC2?46[ :? `hac]k^Am
kAm“w6 925 E9:D C6AFE2E:@? 7@C >2<:?8 E9:D 7=J:?8 =62A 24C@DD E96 7:?:D9 =:?6[” D96 D2:5] “w6 H2D D>2== 2?5 8@E 3F==:65[ 6G6? @? E96 ~=J>A:4 7:6=5] qFE 96 >2?2865 E@ @G6C4@>6 9:D ?6CG6D 2?5 9:D 762C] %92E 7=J:?8 7:?:D9 D9@HD 9@H >F49 H6 DEC:G6 7@C E92E H:E9 @FC >6?E2= 962=E9] *@F <66A CF??:?8] *@F ;FDE <66A 8@:?8] x7 J@F 36=:6G6 :? J@FCD6=7 6?@F89[ J@F 42? 92G6 E92E 7=J:?8 7:?:D9]”k^Am
k9bmpCE :D 962=:?8k^9bm
kAmz zC:6D6=[ H9@ >@G65 E@ t2DE sF3FBF6[ x==][ EH@ >@?E9D 28@[ :D 7:?5:?8 E96 EC:\DE2E6D 2 H6=4@>:?8 A=246 7@C 2CE:DED] %96J H:== 36 4@?EC:3FE:?8 6:89E A:646D @7 2CE E@ E96 82==6CJ]k^Am
kAmzC:6D6=[ bd[ H9@ 8C6H FA :? r9:428@ 2D E96 @?=J 49:=5 @7 2 D:?8=6 >@E96C[ H2D D6IF2==J 23FD65 2E 9@>6 2?5 :? E96 #@>2? r2E9@=:4 A2C:D9 E96:C 72>:=J 2EE6?565]k^Am
kAm“x 36=:6G6 E92E’D H9J W>J >@E96CX AFE >6 :? E92E A2C:D9 D49@@=[” zC:6D6= D2:5] “q642FD6 E96J H@F=5?’E C6A@CE 96C] r9:=5C6? H6C6 AF?:D965 7@C 4@>:?8 E@ D49@@= H:E9 3CF:D6D[ D4C2E496D 2?5 3=24< 6J6D E92E E96:C A2C6?ED 82G6 E96>]”k^Am
kAm%96 23FD6 zC:6D6= 6IA6C:6?465 42>6 7C@> 4=2DD>2E6D[ E62496CD[ 323JD:EE6CD 2?5 6G6? 2 v:C= $4@FE EC@@A =6256C]k^Am
kAm“x 76== 5@H? 2 DE2:C42D6 2?5 3C@<6 >J ?@D6 H96? x H2D h[ 2?5 7C@> E96? @?[ E96 EC@@A =6256C C676CC65 E@ >6 2D ‘&8=J[’ 2?5 D2:5 x H2D E@@ F8=J E@ C2A6[” E96J D2:5] “(9:49 :D :C@?:4 3642FD6 E92E’D 6I24E=J H92E H2D 92AA6?:?8 C68F=2C=J A2C:D9\H:56]”k^Am
kAmzC:6D6= C646:G65 2? @77:4:2= 2A@=@8J 7C@> E96 v:C= $4@FED @7 p>6C:42 7@C E96 =6256C’D 23FD6] %96J 92G6 2EE6>AE65 E@ C6A@CE E96 23FD6 E96J 6IA6C:6?465 :? E96 A2C:D9[ 3FE E96 AC@46DD :D =@?8 2?5 2C5F@FD]k^Am
kAm(96? E96 49FC49 C6BF:C65 2 A@=:46 C6A@CE[ zC:6D6= C67FD65 3642FD6 @7 E96 A@=:46 56A2CE>6?E’D 4=@D6 E:6D E@ E96 A2C:D9] %96 49FC49 E96? 2DD:8?65 2? 25G@42E6[ H9@ ?6G6C C6EFC?65 2?J 42==D]k^Am
kAm!2CE @7 E96 EC2F>2 zC:6D6= 6IA6C:6?465 H2D :? 36:?8 4FE @77 7C@> 6IE6?565 72>:=J[ H9@ H@F=5’G6 C6>@G65 E96> 7C@> E96 9@>6 :7 E96J 925 366? 2H2C6 @7 E96 D:EF2E:@?] zC:6D6= C6F?:E65 H:E9 E96> FA@? C6249:?8 25F=E9@@5]k^Am
kAm“x H@C< AC:>2C:=J :? E6IE:=6 2CE[ 2?5 x =62C?65 9@H E@ 6>3C@:56C 2?5 D6H 7C@> >J 8C2?5>@E96C[” E96J D2:5] “(96? >J 2F?E A2DD65 2H2J 2 76H J62CD 28@[ D96 =67E 2== @7 96C D6H:?8 2?5 6>3C@:56CJ DFAA=:6D E@ >6] $@ 6249 A:646 :D E92E =@G:?8 72>:=J 4@??64E:@? E92E x H2D 56AC:G65 @7 G6CJ :?E6?E:@?2==J H96? x H2D 2 49:=5]”k^Am
kAmzC:6D6=’D H@C< @7E6? 92D 2 G6CJ 5:DE:?4E >2E6C?2= E96>6[ FD:?8 2 =@E @7 |@E96C |2CJ :>286CJ]k^Am
kAm“|@E96CD 24E65 :? 6IEC6>6=J F?>@E96C=J H2JD E9C@F89@FE >J 49:=59@@5[” E96J D2:5] “%9:D :D 56=:36C2E6] x’> 4C62E:?8 E96 >2E6C?2= 42C6 E92E x 5:5?’E 6IA6C:6?46 2D 2 49:=5]”k^Am
kAmzC:6D6= 92D 6G6? 7@F?5 E96:C H2J 324< E@ 49FC49]k^Am
kAm“u@C 23@FE `_ J62CD[ x H2D 5@?6 H:E9 :E[” E96J D2:5] “|J A2C:D9 H2D >J H9@=6 H@C=5] x 5:5?’E <?@H 2?JE9:?8 6=D6] v6EE:?8 4=@D6 E@ >J 6IE6?565 72>:=J 96=A65 >6 =62C? E92E E96C6 2C6 A6@A=6 :? E96 49FC49 H9@ 2C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 5@ 8@@5] {62C?:?8 E92E E96 H@C=5 H2D >F49 3:886C E92? >J 49FC49[ 2?5 E92E E96C6 H6C6 <:?5 A6@A=6 :? :E H6?E 2 =@?8 H2J :? 96=A:?8 E@ 962=]”k^Am
k9bmw6=A :D ?62Ck^9bm
kAmp=@?8 H:E9 E96 2CE:DED[ E96 82==6CJ H:== 36 DE27765 H:E9 25G@42E6D 2?5 E96C2A:DED 7C@> #:G6CG:6H]k^Am
kAm“%96C6 H:== 36 2CE 6?E9FD:2DED 2?5 366C 6?E9FD:2DED 2?5 A6@A=6 H9@ 92G6 366? =@4<65 5@H? 2?5 ;FDE H2?E E@ 86E @FE[” $A:56== D2:5] “qFE E96 36DE E9:?8 H6 42? 9@A6 7@C :D E92E E96C6 2C6 A6@A=6 H9@ 2EE6?5 E9:D H9@ >2J ?665 @FC D6CG:46D] (6’C6 G6CJ 2H2C6 E92E 5:D4FDD:?8 EC2F>2 42? 36 G6CJ EC:886C:?8] (6 H:== 92G6 A6@A=6 2E E96 6G6?E E92E H6 42? 4@??64E E96> E@ :>>65:2E6=J]”k^Am
kAmzC:6D6=[ H9@ H:== 36 E6==:?8 E96:C DE@CJ 2E E96 82==6CJ[ 925 E9:D 25G:46 7@C 2?J@?6 562=:?8 H:E9 A2DE 23FD6 @C EC2F>2 @7 2?J <:?5i “xE’D ?@E J@FC 72F=E] %96 H@C=5 :D >F49 3:886C E92? H92E 92AA6?65 E@ J@F] w62=:?8 :D 2 =:76=@?8 AC@46DD]”k^Am
