Zebra Day CSA: CSA Survivor Pride

ZebraDayCSA is our annual pride event created by and for adult survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA).

We welcome CSA survivors, friends, and allies to join us for a supportive, creative, and community-centred online gathering on Saturday 31st January 2026. Whether you want to participate or simply listen, you’re welcome exactly as you are.

This year, our theme is access. Our message is clear: there are 11 million adult survivors in the UK, and we need cultural representation, access and inclusion in the arts. #MakeSpaceForSurvivors

Why Access?

In September we launched The Missing Millions, our first nationwide survey, to better understand the challenges CSA survivors face when attending cultural activities, as well as the things that support us to take part. We’ll be sharing the headline findings for the first time at ZebraDayCSA.

Event Schedule

• Welcome & Opening Speech: Viv Gordon will introduce ZebraDayCSA and the role of access in strengthening the CSA Survivor community.
  
• The Missing Millions: A first look at our new survey findings, highlighting the barriers CSA survivors face when trying to access the arts.
  
• Creative Showcase: Creatives from our brilliant CSA survivor community will present their poetry, song, animation, photography, and visual art in response to ZebraDayCSA and the theme of access.
  
• Moment of Reflection: A minute’s silence to honour our community and those who have not survived.
  
• Imagine If Bones Could Talk: A short film co-created by the Leadership Reference Group at Visible Leeds and Viv Gordon Company. The film reflects on the unseen burden survivors carry as we navigate the dominant culture that overlooks and silences us.
  
• The event will last approx 90 minutes.

What to expect

Safe and Supportive Space

• You’re welcome to join with your camera on or off—whatever feels right for you.
• You won’t be asked to speak; live responses can be shared via the chat function, which will be monitored to ensure a safe environment free from hate speech or safeguarding concerns.
• You can change your display name for privacy if you'd prefer to remain anonymous.
• A secure Zoom room hosted and managed by PCM Creative.
• Please don’t share the Zoom link publicly to ensure safety and security.

Accessibility & Wellbeing

• Automated live captions will be provided for real-time subtitles.
• A wellbeing support person will be available if you need time to process or ground yourself; breakout room support will be explained at the start of the event.
• Our events are relaxed spaces—feel free to engage however suits you best: camera on/off, lying down, moving around, or eating etc. We just ask that mics stay muted to minimise distractions.

Why Zebras?

In 2023 we launched our ABC of CSA - a creative resource developed with over 40 CSA survivors to support better conversations about surviving child sexual abuse. The Z card is “Feeling like a zebra in a world of giraffes” which speaks to many of us about how we live our lives feeling different and are alienated in the dominant culture.

BUT zebras are brilliant and we think they are a potent image to celebrate CSA survival because:

• Each zebra stripe pattern is unique reflecting the individuality of us as survivors
• They travel long distances through often harsh terrain to survive
• They know about community, understand the power of numbers and form superherds
• The collective noun is Dazzle.

Watch Viv talk about why Zebras by clicking here.