Ione Wells describes her experience of being a victim of sexual assault. She talks about her emotions, her response and her choice to tell people that victims are #NotGuilty, thus creating a campaign that encouraged other people to voice their experiences. Her reaction however did not come without criticism. A tabloid newspaper and social media “trolls” accused her of trying to shame her attacker or attempting to promote her “feminist agenda”, a response that created further injustice toward her and other victims.
What she tells us is that we should take a “more considered approach to the way we use [social media] to respond to injustice” and use this new means of communication to bring justice, educate, and stimulate discussion.

Ione Wells, 21, is in her second year reading for an undergraduate degree in English Language & Literature at the University of Oxford in the UK, though she is originally from London. Ione set up the international #NotGuilty campaign against sexual violence and victim blaming in April 2015, and has since then also written about these issues for multiple publications including The Guardian and the National Union of Students, taken parts in debates on BBC Radio and at multiple festivals including The Lughnasa International Friel Festival in Belfast and the Clear Lines festival in London, and taught workshops on these issues in schools across the UK. Ione is the Editor of The Isis magazine – Oxford University’s student magazine – and has an active interest in human rights, international relations and theatre.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx