Diztorted Angels: Plushies to Help Survivors of Sexual Violence

American artist Kaelin Jacey runs Diztorted Angels, a small handmade plushie business. Some of their plushies, though seemingly not currently available, aim to raise awareness about sexual violence and help its survivors find comfort and healing. Jacey reflects on her own experience as a sexual assault survivor and creates brightly coloured plushies that can help create comfort for others with similar trauma as they pursue their healing journey. Her plushies often have the vulvas as faces or vaginas as heads. 

This portrayal centres the experience of women survivors who are often stigmatized and have their identities reduced to just a sexual violence survivor, yet the one-of-a-kind plushies also show that survivors are so much more than their traumatic experiences. Diztorted Angels plushies engage people in a conversation around sexual violence, which can help people understand better how to help survivors and help fight the stigma that comes with being a sexual violence survivor. This is why plushies by Diztorted Angels are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Gender Equality, Reduced Inequalities and Good Health and Well-Being.

Accompanying her piece O’Keffee, which looks like a bear with its head split open for a vulva to grow out of, Jacey shares her own account of being a sexual violence survivor. “The case was dropped by my college (like many others) on September 14, 2023. I struggle with what happened to me monthly. I wonder all the time why no one believed me, and I have intense anger around rape culture and how no one seems to believe anyone else either when they come out with their stories of grape and sexual assault (SA),” said Jacey, summarizing why she started Diztorted Angels.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) found, as of December 2020, that although one in four women has been found to experience sexual assault in their lifetime, less than 5 percent of sexual assault cases are reported to law enforcement. On top of that, as Jacey’s experience suggests, one in five reported cases tend to be dropped by law enforcement due to deeply held societal biases against survivors of sexual violence. Here again are reasons why it is imperative to normalize conversations around the issue, as Diztorted Angels dolls have done.

Diztorted Angels plushies are also unique; they entice people’s curiosity, effectively engaging them in a dialogue with sexual violence survivors. These plushies have had such a profound impact that Kaelin Jacey now has approximately 27 thousand followers on their Diztorted Angels Instagram. They have also encouraged people who are not affected by sexual violence to donate plushies as a way of supporting people in their healing journey.

Kaelin Jacey’s Diztorted Angels are powerful symbols of the resilience and strength of sexual violence survivors. Through her unique plushie designs, Jacey helps advocate for survivor rights, comfort and healing. At the end of the day, Diztorted Angels plushies is an initiative by a survivor for other survivors on their journey to reclaim their identities and lives.

Find out more about plushies by Diztorted Angels and their other pieces by checking their Instagram on @diztortedangels.