Vox Populi
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Video: Thordis Elva & Tom Stranger | Our story of rape and reconciliation
In 1996, Thordis Elva shared a teenage romance with Tom Stranger, an exchange student from Australia. After a school dance, Tom raped Thordis, after which they parted ways for many years. In this extraordinary talk, Elva and Stranger move through a years-long chronology of shame and silence, and invite us to discuss the omnipresent global issue of sexual violence in a new, honest way.
Running time: 18 minutes
Thordis Elva is a firm believer in the healing potential of dialogue when it comes to ending the silence that shrouds sexual violence. In 2015, she was voted Woman of the Year in her native Iceland due to her tireless campaigning for gender equality.
Social sciences and the outdoors have been both professional directions and personal themes for Tom Stranger. After studying social science and working in outdoor recreation, Tom Stranger’s focus shifted towards working with young people with complex needs — mental health challenges, substance addiction, homelessness and neurological impairment. His time working with young people has taught him the immense value of listening with intent.
Thordis Elva and Tom Stranger are the co-authors of South of Forgiveness, a unique collaboration between a survivor and perpetrator of rape.
Vox Populi 
Tom Stranger’s rape of Thordis when she was a teenager was a horrible thing to do. I admire the way that he now takes responsibility for his actions, offering no excuses or rationalizations.
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