In 2018, US soldier Karina Lopez survived a sexual assault at Fort Hood military base. When Vanessa Guillen, another Latina service member, disappeared and is then murdered, Karina steps forward to share her story, creating the #IAmVanessaGuillen hashtag. Hundreds of service members chime in, exposing the cycle of abuse occurring on military bases and demanding justice.
The murder of Army soldier Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood military base hit too close to home for service member Karina Lopez, a survivor of assault on the very same military base. When Karina creates a viral Facebook post with the hashtag #IamVanessaGuillen, hundreds of other soldiers open up to add their own experiences of abuse to the hashtag. Facing retaliation from the top ranks, Karina and other Latina soldiers push forward to make their stories public, fuelling a movement demanding an end to the cycle of abuse impacting US service members.
“#IAmVanessaGuillen is beautifully shot and does an excellent job exposing the trauma and long-lasting impacts of harassment and assault in the military, through very personal stories and testimonies.”
- Annerieke Smaak Daniel, Researcher, Women's Rights, Human Rights Watch
