WEBVTT BRIANA: KENNY AND TALITHA, AFTERTHE HASHTAG TOOK OFF, A GROUPEMERGED OUT OF THE ARTSCOMMUNITY, GIVING PEOPLE ANOPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THEPROBLEM, OFFER SUPPORT ANDSOLUTIONS.THEIR STORIES ARE HARD TO SHARE,DIFFICULT TO HEAR, BUT THEY'REIMPORTANT TO TELL.>> I ACTUALLY WROTE THIS FOR THEME TOO MEETING.BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE CLEARWITH MY STORY.BRIANA: DARLENE PRUITT SAYS THEART OF WRITING HELPS HER TALKABOUT SEXUAL ABUSE, A THEME INHER LIFE SINCE CHILDHOOD.>> MY SEVENTH GRADE TEACHER KEPTME AFTER CLASS.MAYBE MY MATH GRADE WOULDIMPROVE.MY NEIGHBOR GAVE ME CANDY.AND THEN HE PUT HIS HANDS ON MEWHILE I ATE IT.THE DATE BOUGHT ME DINNER.I GUESS I OWED HIM WHAT HAPPENEDNEXT.MY BOSS ASKED ME TO STAY AFTERWORK FOR A DRINK.MAYBE I WOULD GET A RAISE.THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.BRIANA: THESE WORDS ARE THE SAMEONES SHE SHARED IN A ROOM FULLOF PEOPLE WHO'VE HAD SIMILAREXPERIENCES.THEY'VE MET TWICE NOW, THANKS TOTWO ARTISTS BASED INWINSTON-SALEM WHO CREATED WHATTHEY CALL A SAFE SPACE.>> THERE IS A CONCERTED EFFORTIN ORDER TO ADDRESS THESEINEQUALITY ISSUES BY UTILIZINGTHE ARTS AS THAT STIMULUS FORCONVERSATION.BRIANA: TOMMY PRIEST HAS ABACKGROUND IN THE ARTS ANDSOCIAL JUSTICE.HE SAYS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMENISN'T JUST A WOMEN'S ISSUE.>> MEN NEED TO BE HELDACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT IN ANUTSHELL.WE'RE FINALLY STARTING TO SEESOME OF THAT OCCUR.>> WE NEED TO SUPPORT PEOPLEMORE.BRIANA: ANGEL FANT RUNS ASUPPORT GROUP FOR PEOPLE DEALINGWITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLED NOPUNCHING BAG, AND SHE WORKEDWITH PRIEST TO SET UP THESE METOO MEETINGS.>> I THINK HER MOTHER'S STORYACTUALLY HELPED ME COME OUT.BRIANA: AND WHEN PEOPLE OPEN UP,IT MAKES IT HARDER TO IGNORE THEISSUE.>> WE CAN TURN OUR HEAD AND SAYNEGATIVE ATTRACTS NEGATIVE, ORWE CAN LOOK AT IT AND SAY, OK,IT'S COMING INTO THE LIGHT.LET'S HEAL THIS.LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.BRIANA: PRIEST SEES RIGHT NOW ASTHE RIGHT MOMENT.>> THIS IS A NEW MOVE, AND THISIS HOW WE ACTUALLY CHANGE THINGSFROM WITHIN.BRIANA: HE SAYS IT'S IMPORTANTTO VALIDATE PEOPLE WHEN THEYSHARE THEIR STORIES, HOLDABUSERS ACCOUNTABLE, AND PUTWOMEN IN POSITIONS OF POWER.WOMEN LIKE DARLENE, WHO HAVE THECOURAGE TO CONFRONT THE PAST ANDUSE IT TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD.>> IT'S POSSIBLE -- IT'SPOSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO LIVE WITHIT, LIVE THROUGH IT, LIVE WITHIT, AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.THAT'S WHAT MY DESIRE IS.BRIANA: DARLENE IS INCREDIBLYBRAVE, AS IS EVERYONE ELSE INTHAT MEETING.SHE TELLS ME ONE OF HER ABUSERSWAS CONVICTED AND SENT TO PRISONFOR SEX CRIMES.SHE SAYS THAT WAS AN IMPORTANTSTEP IN HER HEALING PROCESS, BUTINSISTS THE BIGGEST STEP WASFORGIVENESS.TALITHA: THERE ARE SO MANYPEOPLE WHO MAY SEE THIS STORYAND SAY, I REALLY WANT TO PLACETO GO TO SPEAK UP.HOW CAN THEY DO THAT?BRIANA: THEY WILL BE CONTINUINGTHESE MEETINGS AT THE FORSYTHCOUNTY LIBRARY.THEY PLAN TO MAKE IT A VERYREGULAR THING, GIVING PEOPLE THECHANCE TO SHARE.KENNY: IMPORTANT REPORT AND