LATEST PROJECTS
BOARDS
AND
AFFILIATIONS
BOARDS AND AFFILIATIONS
As of 2023, I am:
-Chair of the Board of NORDREF (since 2020)
-a member of the Advisory Board of MetooSweden (since 2020)
-an expert partner of Meta's initiative stopncii.org (since 2021)
-a member of the Legal Expert Council of the Philia Project (since 2022)
-co-chair of the Advisory Board of the Black Elephant social network (since 2023)
-a member of the Advisory Board of SASHA (SafeShare) image-protection initiative to combat online abuse (since 2023)
-a member of the board of the Victims' Rights Organisation of Iceland (since 2023).
NORDREF
NORDIC DIGITAL RIGHTS AND EQUALITY FOUNDATION
After years of advocating for digital rights and equality online, I founded the Nordic Digital Rights and Equality foundation in 2020, along with other Nordic experts in the field. Our goal is to work towards equality and democracy in the Nordic region by developing and sharing knowledge about digital rights and responsibilities, while protecting people's right to safely partake in discussions and other activities online. For more, please visit nordref.org.
SPEAKING
PUBLIC SPEAKING AND EXPERT CONSULTATION
As a public speaker with nearly two decades experience, I've given keynotes, workshops, high-level webinars and speeches in three languages across the world on topics such as online safety, hate speech, gender equality and violence against women, particularly with regard to new technology. My 2015 lecture tour Permanently Naked: What you need to know about image-based sexual abuse attracted an audience of over 17,000 guests in three countries. My TED talk, based on my personal experience of healing from violence, garnered over a million views in 3 days, and is currently at 9 million views (spring 2023). For more, check out my speaker CV.
In terms of expert consultation, I've partaken in shaping national and international policy on gender-based violence. This includes contributing towards Iceland's action plan against gender-based violence, advising the Slovenian government on policy regarding online safety and gender equality, and a high-level webinar for the European Union on how to make safe online spaces for women and girls, to name examples.
BOOKS
SOUTH OF FORGIVENESS & THE PLAIN TRUTH
My book 'South of Forgiveness' is a non-fiction narrative that tells the story of how I was sexually assaulted at the age of 16 by my first boyfriend, Tom Stranger, whom I confronted about it almost a decade later. He confessed to his deed and we corresponded for eight years about the violence and how it had shaped our lives – before deciding to meet up half way across the world, in South Africa, to face our past once and for all. South of Forgiveness has been published in multiple countries across four continents (click the flags on the front page for more).
In 2009, I wrote 'The Plain Truth' (Á mannamáli), which is a seminal work of literary journalism, delving into sexual violence and its status within in the criminal justice system, the public discourse and the political landscape in Iceland. 'The Plain Truth' was one of the most awarded books of the year and was nominated to the Icelandic Literature Prize.
FILMS
SHORT FILMS & SCREEN WRITING
I was commissioned by the Icelandic government to help reshape the approach to violence prevention and sex education in elementary schools, resulting in the short-films 'Get Consent' and 'Stand Up For Yourself', both of which aired on national television and are being used in schools across Iceland with unprecedented results. 'Get Consent' (intended for 13-15 year olds) has won local and international awards (see Awards page) and was warmly received in screenings at the UN and the European Commission. 'Stand Up For Yourself' (intended for 10-12 year olds) was nominated to the EDDA Film and Television Awards, as Best Children's Material 2014. In 2018, the short film Take My Picture was released online, telling the story of four teenagers whose lives are impacted when a nude photo is shared without consent. Take My Picture (intended for 15 year olds and up) was the recipient of the highest grant from the Icelandic Equality Fund in 2016.
PLAYS
PLAYS AND THEATRE WORK
As a playwright, I've authored nine plays that have been professionally produced. I was nominated Playwright of the Year in 2006 for my play 'Hunger', and my 2005 play 'Broken' had me elected one of the world's 50 best young playwrights. 'Forgiveness Inc' (Fyrirgefðu ehf, 2014), was a critical success, dubbed a "must-see". I wrote, produced and directed the play, that resulted in a publicity campaign which included the mayor of Reykjavik, MPs, pop stars, writers and other celebrities.
Before becoming a playwright, I earned a degree as an actress from the University of Georgia. I've acted in plays, musicals, radio plays, films and television series, including the Emmy award-winning series Örnen.