Sophie Turner meets Rwanda genocide survivors, becomes charity ambassador

Sophie Turner, best known for playing Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones, used her experience on the television series to draw attention to sexual violence and the struggles faced by women survivors of conflict. In 2017, the British actress travelled to Rwanda, where she met women affected by the 1994 genocide and witnessed how they were rebuilding their lives. The visit marked an important step in her work with Women for Women International, an organisation supporting women survivors of war through education, financial skills and community support.How Sophie Turner’s Game of Thrones role led her to RwandaTurner's involvement with women's rights grew partly from the reaction to a controversial storyline in Game of Thrones. Her character, Sansa Stark, experienced sexual violence during the fifth season, and the scene prompted considerable criticism from viewers. However, Turner believed the public response revealed something important about the way sexual violence was discussed.In an interview reported by Arab News in March 2017, the actress said she was shocked by the reaction. She questioned why audiences considered the depiction of rape on television unacceptable while sexual violence continued to affect women around the world. Turner argued that such experiences deserved attention rather than being treated as subjects too uncomfortable to discuss.The conversation prompted her to use her public profile to raise awareness of gender-based violence.…