Art Exhibit Powerfully Answers The Question 'What Were You Wearing?'

[sheshe2]

The installation proves that clothing has nothing to do with sexual assault.

The art project was created in 2013 by Jen Brockman, the director of KU’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center, and Dr. Mary A. Wyandt-Hiebert, who oversees all programming initiatives at the University of Arkansas’ rape education center. The installation has been featured at several other schools since 2013, including University of Arkansas and University of Iowa.

Brockman told HuffPost that the main goal of “What Were You Wearing?” is to promote awareness about sexual violence and to combat victim-blaming.

“Participants can come into the gallery and see themselves reflected in not only the outfits, but also in the stories,” she said. “To be able to create that moment in this space where they say, ‘Wow I have this outfit hanging in my closet,’ or ‘I wore this this week.’ By doing this we could hopefully reveal the myth that if we just avoid that outfit then we’ll never be harmed or that somehow we can eliminate sexual violence by simply changing our clothes.”

snip

“When survivors come through, what we hear expressed often is validation because they’ll share with us: ‘This was my outfit. What’s hanging on this wall right now is what I was wearing,’ or ‘That’s my story. That story is just like what happened to me,’” Brockman said. “It’s not the clothing that causes sexual violence, it’s the person who causes harm. Being able to find that peace for survivors and that moment of awareness for communities is the real motivation behind the project.”








https://www.huffpost.com/entry/powerful-art-exhibit-powerfully-answers-the-question-what-were-you-wearing_n_59baddd2e4b02da0e1405d2a

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I posted this here back in 2022 and thought it should move front and forward with all that is happening today.

We have Trump and the Epstein files that the DOJ is refusing to fully release the unredacted files of the survivors of rape and more. Two congressmen are resigning over rape allegations from many sources. Then we have a candidate that said that women need to take responsibility for themselves and not get drunk and then nothing would have happened to them. That is classic victim blaming.

We can do better than this.

[sakabatou]

1. K&R

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

[Journeyman]

3. K & R . . .

Powerful in its simplicity.

[Lifeafter70]

4. K&R

[mcar]

5. 😥

[Ms. Toad]

6. Thank you for reposting.

I think I finally donated what I was wearing to Goodwill a few years ago. Floor-length 70's relatively shapeless hippie style dress. Nothing revealing. Nothing sexually suggestive.

I've been disappointed to see a whole heck of a lot of "why is she coming forward now" - but grateful for the strong response (largely by the women of DU) dishing out a heaping helping of education.

Whenever something like this happens, for a few days I can't help but make a mental list of all of the sexual assaults I've endured (at least those which rose to the level of physical contact). I'm always surprised when I think I've remembered them all, there is almost always another that pokes its head up.

[sheshe2]

7. I agree with you about the comments, "Why did she wait so long"

Repressed memories, embarrassment and a deep-rooted fear of not being believed, that it had to have been our fault.

I am so sorry for all that you have been through.

[TBF]

8. I wouldn't be surprised if assaults were on the increase

with the toxic patriarchy that Trump et al are trying to install w/their Christian Nationalism.

It's never been about which route we took, what we were wearing, what we said, or any of the myriad other excuses pushed out there. It has always been about the insecurity of the rapist and their need for power. Trump is such a great illustration of this because it permeates everything he does. And every time I think about that it disgusts me even more that he was elected president.

[sheshe2]

9. I agree with you.

This admin and the MAGA males do not like or respect women. They just use them and toss them away, see Bondi and Noem.

[pattyloutwo]

10. Powerful exhibit

[betsuni]

11. Thank you.