May 30, 2025

Thordis Elva: South of Forgiveness

45 minutes

*Disclaimer for today’s conversation*

We’re going to touch on sexual assault on the show today and this may be triggering for some listeners.

Just back from the Icelandic Writer's Retreat with Eliza Reid, Jann invites fellow writer, speaker, and activist Thordis Elva to join the show. She speaks about writing 'South of Forgiveness,' where she confronts her assaulter and heals the young sixteen year-old who's been holding a heavy secret. She reflects on corresponding with him to write the book, the global response to their story, and the importance of dialogue in changing the narrative around sexual violence. Thordis also discusses the importance of believing and supporting survivors of sexual assault.

More About Thordis Elva:

Thordis Elva is an Icelandic writer, speaker and activist. Her memoir, South of Forgiveness, which she co-authored with her perpetrator of sexual assault, is out in14 countries with the accompanying TED talk having been viewed over 10 million times. Her books, films and plays have won various awards and she was elected Woman of the Year for her contributions to gender-equality. As a public speaker, she has given talks at the UN, the European Council and the EU, to name a few. Her work has been published across four continents and has influenced national policy as well as the global dialogue. Thordis also works as a clinical hypnotherapist and is the founder and current chairperson of the Nordic Digital Rights and Equality Foundation, working to further human rights and democracy in online spaces. She resides in Reykjavik with her three children, including her miracle twins who sparked a social media movement when they were given a less than one percent chance of survival, and is currently writing their story.

South of Forgiveness: A True Story of Rape and Responsibility

https://a.co/d/b4GkdBu

TED Talk:

https://www.ted.com/talks/thordis_elva_and_tom_stranger_our_story_of_rape_and_reconciliation?subtitle=en
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