Flier from action (photos from action at foot of post)
In Asheville, ten sexual assault survivor supporters assembled on Saturday, Dec 16th, to confront Asheville’s River Arts District #1 sexual predator, Jonas Gerard. They wore gorilla masks as a nod to the Guerrilla Girls, a group of feminists who have been fighting sexism and racism for three decades.
They dispersed information to keep the public safe, which was well-received by those they spoke with. Festive holiday cheer was in the air as holiday songs such as “It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Justice” and “Twelve Days of Misogyny” were sung. Two Jonas Gerard employees/associates came onto the street to argue and yell with the protestors saying, “You don’t know what you’re talking about”; “There are no gag orders”. This was a convenient way of saying, “That’s not the right legal term, he has assaulted female employees and then shut them up through non-disclosure agreements.”
When one protestor confronted Allen Brasington (an employee of Gerard’s for 8 years) with the fact that Jonas sexually harassed her friend to the point where she had to quit, Brasington stated, “and she got a big fat check didn’t she?” Allen Brasington seems to think Gerard habitually assaulting and harassing women in his studios is fine, as long as the women are paid afterwards. Jonas Gerard Fine Art doors were shut twice while the protestors sang and played music and confronted Jonas Gerard and his employees on behalf of all of his victims.
While strolling in the River Arts District and talking to the public the protestors were given many “Thanks for doing this!” comments. Some people greeted on the street were already aware of his sexual predation and others had no idea. Store owners were made aware of his well-kept secrets. More doors were opened for victims. Flyers were handed out to notify the public of the sexual assaults and harassment Jonas Gerard has been a perpetrator of in the community for over a decade.
The #metoo movement is a driving force for the public’s understanding of how someone such as Gerard with a power dynamic is able to assault and harass for many years. He wields much more power, money and influence than the women he preys upon. Women are told by the law and their lawyers that they won’t win a sexual assault or sexual harassment case. They are told their testimony is not enough, so it’s better to settle. The victims are also coerced and manipulated by their boss who was supposed to uphold the sexual harassment/assault policy. This is traumatizing and they want the violence to stop so they quit, and sometimes leave the area. If settled out of court the women are often forced into silence with non-disclosure agreements. These need to be made illegal.
This coalition of the supporters of those assaulted and harassed is growing. If you have been harassed, assaulted, or threatened by Jonas Gerard to keep silent and want to remain anonymous you can write to empoweravl@gmail.com to join the movement. Supporters of victims are welcome as well. As of 12/21/17, Jonas Gerard Fine Art is still officially denying that any sexual assaults happened while the community knows not only did he SEXUALLY ASSAULT a woman in 2015 as per his misdemeanor charge of “Sexual Battery”, but there are many more women who have been violated and this violence has happened as recently as this year. As Gerard has a history of being a perpetrator of 10 years, his reported education, counseling, training, and therapy, has proven to not stop him being a perpetrator. Stop supporting a Sexual Predator Asheville. Take Down his Art. JUSTICE FOR SURVIVORS.#shutdownjonasgerard
Photos of Asheville Survivors Coalition in front of Jonas Gerard’s Clingman studio and walking through the River Arts District in Asheville, NC; contact empoweravl@gmail.com for permission to use. #shutdownjonasgerard #ashevillesurvivorscoalition #empoweravl #guerrillagirls
Asheville Survivors Coalition 