The Out of Bounds campaign by #WeRideTogether was designed to communicate and demonstrate the utter truth of the victim/survivor experience. It highlights the impacts of trauma from the emotional to the relational to the systemic through high-impact storytelling. The goal was to create four short public service announcements and accompanying roundtable discussions with subject-matter experts regarding victimhood and survivorship to disrupt, confront, and debunk common misconceptions and stereotypes, and give victims and their families reflection and validation of what they may be experiencing. Given the stigma regarding the topic of abuse, the project was 100% victim/survivor-informed and trauma-informed, and fills a gap in the spaces of sexual abuse, athletics, and healing. There are rarely words for the unfathomable trauma that far too many athletes endure. By no means can any project fully and truly encapsulate the lifelong triumphs and hurdles and isolation and scars of the victim/survivor experience, either – but we can offer language and imagery about the victim/survivor experience to promote awareness and lessen the burden for victims/survivors, provide prevention tools and supportive resources, and offer education to inspire cultural and societal change.
#WeRideTogether brought Out of Bounds to life by partnering with creatives dedicated to purpose-driven work, open to handling a difficult topic respectfully and bravely. Through collaboration, we developed each video in the series —“Stop Asking,” “It’s Not Just a Ride Home,” “Life Sentence,” and “W.T.F. – Wait, That’s Fair?” — to showcase facets of the victim/survivor experience. “Stop Asking” exemplifies questions survivors of all identities receive and encourages audiences to shift their responses from victim-shaming and blame to ones of care and support. “It’s Not Just a Ride Home” puts the viewer in the shoes of a victim of grooming, a form of sexual abuse, perpetrated by their coach, gives insight into the aftermath of trauma, encourages learning about grooming, and highlights the opportunity for safe, active bystander intervention. “Life Sentence” presents a visible symbol, a rock, representing the invisible burden survivors carry after experiencing abuse and prompts reflection on the unseen, long-lasting, and pervasive impacts of trauma, calling for informed, compassionate support. “W.T.F. – Wait, That’s Fair?” provides a dystopian example of inappropriate conduct and poor institutional response in a diner, paralleling how sexual abuse survivors commonly experience the systems of justice and compelling viewers to encounter the realities of societal response and justice-seeking from the survivor’s perspective.
To further contextualize the videos, we conducted companion roundtable discussions and podcasts to unpack the nuances of the survivor experience, hosted by Caroline Culbertson. Subject matter experts include Kenyora Johnson, CEO of End Rape on Campus; Tracy DeTomasi, CEO of Callisto; Abby Morris, Athlete Protection & Safety at USA Lacrosse; Dr. Tess M. Kilwein, Clinical & Sports Psychologist; Dr. Tyler Miles, Clinical & Sports Psychologist; Margaret Hoelzer, Olympian & NCAC Spokesperson; Jennifer Almonte, Founder of The I Am Journey; Natasha de Silva, Founder and Principal of Intersection; Bobby Click, Executive Director of EM–Sport Safety; Doug Fierberg, Attorney & Founder at TFNL Group; Elysse Stolpe, Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, Virginia; and, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, Circuit Court Judge & Professor. We rounded out the project with supporting information, prevention tools, and resources for survivors, athletes, parents, coaches, organizations, and society, available at https://www.weridetogether.today/out-of-bounds.
Challenges were faced together to create a project that was truthful, approachable, and watchable. Given the important and sensitive topic, elements were designed to meet people where they are, from short-form offerings to deep dives to match a range of audiences, while continuously ensuring we were as transparent and responsible to the victim experience as possible. Out of Bounds stands out with its authentic, multi-layered approach, balancing storytelling and education, to elicit empathy and social change. Out of Bounds beckons accountability, allows viewers to reach their own realizations, zeros in on the uncomfortable spaces, and does not provide a neat ending. From serving as a mirror and a conversation starter to providing tangible, supportive actions and an example of what can be hard to articulate, institutions, communities, loved ones, and survivors around the world have utilized Out of Bounds to center the victim experience.
Since its launch in August of 2025, Out of Bounds public service announcements have received over 46 million views and have been organically translated into Turkish, Persian, Russian, Spanish, French, and Japanese, demonstrating that their content and themes have transcended cultures and languages, speaking to a universal human experience. The campaign has already received international recognition, including awards from the Cannes World Film Festival, the New York International Film Festival, DOCLA, the International Sport Film Festival, and the Anthem Awards. The program has demonstrated significant impact by increasing awareness, providing prevention education, and support for survivors on a global scale. Viewers have remarked: “This is genius! So powerful. Thank you for sharing. Hopefully, more people will understand. As someone who suffered from sexual abuse as a child and no one cared, I feel this very deeply.” “This is so needed - thank you for this! Sharing awareness saves lives and educates people. I hope one day, there will be no more cases of this heartbreaking experience. Let’s continue to support victims!” “If one person asked me to use a video to describe my SA, this is what I would choose.” “Thank you for including boys and men. We feel invisible.” “Great way to illustrate a tough topic! Easy to understand and relate to. Visually appealing and interesting. Fantastic job!” Out of Bounds is a success because people are talking about the uncomfortable, sharing information, and feeling seen and validated.
