A VIDEO WITH A LESSON
P.E.I. singer-songwriter Kinley Dowling, whose video will soon be in P.E.I.’s Grade 9 health curriculum, finds new calling in advocating for sexual assault survivors
A video by P.E.I. singersongwriter Kinley Dowling will soon be in P.E.I.’s Grade 9 health curriculum
“Kinley is someone who youth have heard. They’ve heard her on the radio, they’ve probably heard her story and are hopefully inspired by her. To have this resource where it’s someone local and someone they might have seen in person or on TV, I do think it makes that connection.” Michelle Harris-Genge
When singer-songwriter Kinley Dowling released a song two years ago detailing her prom night rape, she didn’t set out to become an advocate for survivors of sexual assault.
But Dowling said her song, “Microphone”, has given her a new calling in life — empowering other survivors to tell their stories and preventing sexual assaults from happening.
“I’ve done so much learning and growing and healing since first sharing my story,” Dowling, who is also known as the violinist for East Coast indie rockers Hey Rosetta! and performs under the stage name KINLEY, said in an interview from P.E.I.
“Speaking my truth has allowed so many other women to feel safe enough to reach out to me and share their experiences with sexual assault, many of them for the first time ever.”
Now, work is underway to include Dowling’s music video for “Microphone” — recently nominated for an East Coast Music Award — in P.E.I.’s Grade 9 health curriculum.
Michelle Harris-Genge, director of P.E.I.’s inter-ministerial women’s secretariat, said Dowling’s video will be an integral part of four modules that discuss sexual assault, consent, gender norms and bystander intervention. They are aiming to have the curriculum ready for this fall.
“The song speaks to people. People have an emotional response to it,” said Harris-Genge, who is chairwoman of the premier’s committee on family violence prevention.
“It’s a way to help teachers or others who want to have this really challenging conversation about consent and about sexual assault.”
The video starts with a monologue from Dowling, explaining how she was sexually assaulted on the night of her prom. She said she was at a field party when an older guy asked her to go for a walk before ultimately raping her.
Harris-Genge said field parties are a common thing for P.E.I. youth.
“It’s a situation they could see themselves in,” she said.
“Kinley is someone who youth have heard. They’ve heard her on the radio, they’ve probably heard her story and are hopefully inspired by her. To have this resource where it’s someone local and someone they might have seen in person or on TV, I do think it makes that connection.”
Jane Ledwell, executive director of P.E.I.’s Advisory Council on the Status of Women, said the song has been “transformative” for sexual assault survivors on the Island and beyond.
“This song was released before the #MeToo movement, but it captured that moment. It really prepared us in the community for being able to tell our stories, name our experiences, and frame them in ways that are meaningful and try to prevent this from happening to other people.”
On Saturday night, Dowling and four friends protested outside the Hedley concert in Summerside.
“We saw a girl post on Twitter that she used posters to help victims of sexual assault. I was inspired by her, so that’s why I’m here giving advice and resources to passersby,” Dowling told the Journal-Pioneer.
Hedley band members say the allegations of sexual assault, harassment and misconduct being shared on social media are unsubstantiated and have not been validated.
Dowling asked concert-goers to think about the #MeToo movement against sexual assault and whether they can support artists labelled with these kinds of accusations.
“I understand that they probably bought the tickets ahead of time, but times are changing and the #MeToo movement is a real thing. In order for change, we need to make drastic choices and really think about what and who we are supporting.
“They say, ‘innocent until proven guilty”. To that, I would say believe the woman that speaks up. My story was about coming forward, and when I did it was the best thing,” Dowling said.