Exhibition - What were you wearing that day?
The exhibition
The result of a project launched in 2013 by the University of Arkansas, the exhibition features outfits inspired by those worn by rape victims. It thus questions the phrase "What were you wearing that day?", all too often asked of victims of sexual violence. The exhibition aims to provide a concrete response to one of the most widespread myths in rape culture: the idea that clothing, and more generally the way a person is dressed, can "invite" rape. Through authentic testimonials, the installation aims to deconstruct this widespread misconception that victims are partially responsible for their assault because of the outfit they wore "that day".
Originally
The What Were You Wearing exhibition originated in 2013 at the University of Arkansas in the USA. It was created by activist Jen Brockman and Dr Mary Wyandt-Hiebert finding their inspiration in Mary Simmerling's poem What I was wearing. They invited student rape victims to share brief descriptions of the clothes they were wearing at the time of their assault. These testimonials were used to reproduce their outfits, which were then exhibited along with the corresponding testimonials. The first installation of the exhibition took place in 2014 at the University of Arkansas.
Warning
This exhibition tackles a difficult subject by bringing testimonies from people who have suffered sexual violence. The stories told were reported by victims and are used with their consent. The clothes displayed in the installation are not the clothes worn by the victims; they are reconstructions.