Shameless! Festival of Activism Against Sexual Violence

Join the first ever Shameless! Festival, a one-day event bringing together activism and art to confront and change attitudes towards sexual violence, share ideas, and imagine a rape free world.

Created in collaboration by Birkbeck's SHaME project and WOW – Women of the World, Shameless! will feature talks by high profile speakers, survivors, researchers and medical professionals, alongside performances by incredible artists, poets and musicians, as well as interactive workshops, 'how to' clinics and wellness spaces – all available to access with your Day Pass ticket.

The festival line-up includes WOW Founder Jude Kelly; prizewinning author Professor Joanna Burke; Founder of Black Minds and UK Slam champion Rachel Nwokoro; best selling author and survivor Winnie M Li; Humanitarian and activist Payzee Mahmod; Soma Sara, the Founder of Everyone's Invited; poet in residence for the Consent Collective Tanaka Mhishi; authors Laura Bates and Rachel Thompson; Academic Dr Rabiya Majeed-Ariss and award winning podcaster Sangeeta Pillai.

Everyone is invited to join this vital festival to spark conversation, address the global crisis of sexual violence (in all its forms) and help get rid of the shame often attached to it. Inspired by and building on the work of SHaME, WOW and activists and academics across the world, be part of this festival aiming to revolutionise conversations around sexual violence; burst open inherited ideas of shame; and give everyone the chance to say to all societies, enough is enough, sexual violence must end.

Festival goers will be able to explore and choose from a variety of workshops, talks, performances and more on the day. There will be pop ups, a marketplace, support on site for whoever needs it, and the chance to connect with experts working to end sexual violence.

This festival will address sensitive and difficult subjects. Please use your discretion if attending with people under the age of 18.

Shameless! Festival is produced by SHaME (Sexual Harms and Medical Encounters) and WOW – Women of the World, and is supported by The Wellcome Trust and Birkbeck, University of London.

The festival will adhere to BAC's Covid policy and current government guidelines. We encourage all attendees to wear a mask during the event where possible. More information about precautions being taken will be shared with attendees in advance.