Art Exhibit Shows Clothing Isn't a Factor During Sexual Assault

Too often as a society we misinterpret the meaning of sexual violence. A large majority believe sexual assault and rape is perpetrated because of the need to engage in a sexual act; thus a person wearing provocative clothing heightens their risk factor for being a victim of sexual violence.

This is a myth.

Sexual violence is committed with the notion that a person must exert their power and control over another, and the choice of clothing for the victim has nothing to do with the heinous crimes committed against them.

To help instill this idea into the minds of the campus community, STAR Central and RESPECT have constructed the What were you wearing? Survivor Art Installation exhibit, which portrays the different outfits student survivors were wearing at the time of their sexual assault.

The exhibit, which was garnered international recognition and media attention, will be featured in various places around the Arkansas Union until Friday. Members from RESPECT will be handing out information and discussing the art exhibit from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, and 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m on Thursday. 

"We want to be able to help students better understand that sexual assault is not a direct result of a person's outfit," says Mary A. Wyandt-Hiebert, director of STAR Central. "It's repulsive to think that a person could have avoided such a horrible act by simply changing their clothing. This is just so far from the truth."

The What were you wearing? Survivor Art Installation exhibit was developed in 2003 by STAR Central staff and has been adopted at other institutions. The exhibit has also been featured in national media publications including Huffington Post, CNN and ABC News.

About STAR Central: STAR Central, an office in the Pat Walker Health Center Wellness & Health Promotion Department, provides Support, Training, Advocacy and Resources on Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence. Developed in 1998, STAR Central addresses the issues of sexual assault and relationship violence through the provision of awareness campaigns, education programs, and victim advocacy services.

About RESPECT: As a program of STAR Central, Rape Education Services by Peers Encouraging Conscious Thought, better known by its acronym, RESPECT, began in 2000 as a way to further reach out to university students through the use of peer education. RESPECT provides interactive and educational programs by college students for college students.