Especially in the midst of the #MeToo movement, it's evident that sexual assault is a social epidemic here in America and elsewhere. Beyond the shocking number of sexual assaults that happen every day — one every 98 seconds in America, according to Rainn — there is also a shocking number of offenders who don't receive rightful punishment for their crimes.
Milwaukee musician Trapper Schoepp addresses this issue in his song What You Do To Her featuring Nicole Atkins on his latest album, Primetime Illusion. After spontaneously meeting in a Colectivo, Schoepp decided to collaborate with MIAD student Casey Hoaglund to create and direct a powerful music video to match the song's powerful lyrics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSKdw-ImxHg
"This song and the imagery that I put in it is meant to empower women. These scenarios where these guys are getting away in court and they are, basically, just getting a slap on the wrist for what they're doing ... we have the power to stop this," Hoaglund says.
Hoaglund also touched on the symbolism of the illustrations she created for the video.
"Different anonymous women morphing into each other ... I felt like it could kind of send that message of anybody could be a victim of this and the culture around [sexual assault] is shifting and we're kind of waking up to it," Hoaglund says.
She appreciates the opportunity to work alongside a man in addressing this issue that she sees as a human issue, and she hopes that this video will spark more important conversations.
"I think the more voices speaking out on the topic, the better. I don't think it's strictly a women's issue to talk about. I think men should be talking about it as well. It's kind of a two-way street. We need to work together and fight this thing that's happening throughout the country and the world," Hoaglund says.