In recognition of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, The Friendship Center (TFC) presents what were you wearing?, an exhibit highlighting the diverse experiences of survivors of sexual violence and the need to end victim-blaming.
What a survivor is wearing at the time of an assault is never an invitation for violence. Clothing doesn’t cause an attack; perpetrators do. In fact, survivors may have exercised little choice in what they’re wearing at the time of an assault—think of child survivors and survivors who were assaulted in a work-issued uniform. Ultimately, what a survivor was wearing at the time of an assault is not relevant. At the same time, we believe that boldly showing what survivors were wearing can open minds and shift attitudes about what sexual assault looks like.
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The “What Were You Wearing?” survivor art installation originated at the University of Arkansas in 2013, with the first display occurring in April 2014. It was created by Jen Brockman and Dr. Mary Wyandt-Hiebert to challenge rape myths and victim-blaming, inspired by a 2005 poem of the same name by Dr. Mary Simmerling. It has since been replicated, adapted, and reproduced across the country by universities, organizations, and curators working to end victim-blaming.
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Founded in 1971, The Friendship Center is the community resource for addressing and preventing domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking through advocacy, education, and outreach in Lewis and Clark, Broadwater, and Jefferson counties.
Our mission is to be a safe haven for those affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking and to empower our community to flourish in relationships free from violence.
