In Chinese, “Shooting a gun” is a euphemism for masturbation. “A Soft and Slow Execution” observes the inextricable link between death and eros and new forms of gender-based violence. The rise of kawaii and internet culture has facilitated a kind of softcore violence unlike conventional notions of physical abuse, often resulting in offences that are more difficult to detect, monitor and criminalise. These sticky, amorphous transgressions may seem less coercive and hardcore, but they threaten our existence nonetheless. The prevalence of spy cams, gaslighting, and deepfake pornography means that I can no longer feel safe anywhere.

Becoming a feminist leads to a heightened sense that living is in fact dying slowly, it makes me realise that I am at a higher risk of being targeted or murdered simply because I am a woman. It’s an extremely vulnerable and exposed feeling, as if all my guts are spilling out. There’s a reason why snuff films have a certain following, what can be more erotic and powerful than instigating primal fear in someone?