What are the aims of empowerment speakers?

Empowerment by definition is the authority or power given to someone to do something. Empowerment speakers therefore, aim to give people the ability to do things such as speaking out against what is wrong, for example. Empowerment speakers deliver their message at times and in places where situations aren’t very good. For example, I will be discussing female empowerment and in particular, females who have been victim of sexual assault because this is quite a pressing issue at the moment.

Brittany Piper is an empowerment speaker for women who has been through the struggle of sexual violence. Brittany Piper was twenty years of age when she was raped and now she is an expert and advocate of preventing sexual assault but also recovering from it. Her message is helpful for those who have already been through the trauma of rape. The Clinton Foundation say that “Brittany is proof that each of us has the power to effect positive change in the world.” The work Brittany is doing for women, to help them achieve some kind of peace and to actually speak out, is amazing because many rape victims attempt suicide or develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a research project carried out by the Medical University of South Carolina, 31% of rape victims were shown to have developed PTSD during their lifetime so if Brittany’s work is helping rape victims to find peace in their life in any way possible then it is a huge positive. So, the job which she is doing, certainly places her amongst the best empowerment speakers. Her aim is for as many people to speak out as possible and for these women to not feel pressurised or ashamed of their experiences. When people such as Brittany speak out and slowly leave the past behind them, it can empower other women to do the same and make them feel as though they can still lead an enjoyable life in the way Brittany is.

In recent times, many people have spoken out about sexual violence which they have been victims of and it is true, without a doubt, that empowerment speakers such as Brittany are partly the reason for the bravery shown by these women. For example, the case of the US gymnastics coach, Larry Nassar who sexually abused over 368 women led to over 250 of these women speaking out in court. The aim for people like Brittany Piper is for people to speak out against the atrocities which they have faced. To see 250 people speak out against people like Larry Nassar, shows that empowerment speakers such as Brittany, and others, are succeeding in their role of empowering others who have been in similar situations. These events over the last few years, where many people have come out to speak, and movements such as the Me Too movement have been created to build a platform for victims to speak out without feeling ashamed or embarrassed. Hence, when empowerment speakers like Brittany see that they are making a positive change, they will feel as though they are fulfilling their objective as they are able to improve the well-being of others which is vital for any empowerment speaker. For more information on the aims of empowerment speakers, and on Bianca Miller Cole, email bookings@biancamiller.uk , 02086679519 , or visit www.biancamiller.uk