Raped in the centre

This is an autobiographical poem sequence about being raped in the Northern Territory. Split across three linked but distinct numbered sections, each of which foregrounds enjambment and stanza breaks, the poem deploys fictocritical strategies of fragmentation in order to speak both the violence of the rape act and the trauma resulting therefrom. White space is also foregrounded in ways that signify silence while un-doing silence. Recently, a profusion of independent and mainstream media stories, along with the #metoo campaign, have signalled the need for more open discussion and sharing of stories about sexually-driven violence and exploitation. By telling one such story, ‘Raped in the Centre’ contributes to the discussion and to the collective struggle for a world in which all people may feel safe, valued and supported.

(1)

I got raped in the centre

of Australia

the real Australia

red as blood

I could

hear the screams

of the Indigenous women

at night

stupidly I would say

the northern territory landscape

was beautiful

I was spread-eagled

across its cartography

sperm on sheets

stolen lingerie

pornographic magazines

strategically placed on my bed

(2)

He grabbed my hair

like a Neanderthal

and pulled me toward

his crotch

I screamed and screamed

But no-one can hear you

In the middle of no-where

In the centre

of Australia

the real Australia

red as blood

(3)

After he raped me

he laughed

as I ran from his grip

partly naked

my jeans

‘round my thighs

When I heard

the revving of his

engine

I ran into the scrub

and hid there

like a small scared animal

I could barely hear

the cattle above me

They had horns like demons.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License.

ISSN: 2202-2546

© Copyright 2015 La Trobe University. All rights reserved.

CRICOS Provider Code: VIC 00115M, NSW 02218K