Dispelling victim-blaming myths and supporting survivors of sexual violence
To promote dialogue and dispel victim-blaming myths, ĀŅĀ×ŗ£½Ē is bringing back the powerful What Were You Wearing? exhibit this January and February as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The installation, originally created by Jen Brockman and Dr. Mary Wyandt-Hiebert at the University of Arkansas, serves as a stark reminder that clothing is never the cause of sexual violence.
This gallery-style exhibit will be traveling to each ĀŅĀ×ŗ£½Ē campus and the Revelstoke Centre for display throughout January and February 2025. It features re-creations of outfits described by survivors, paired with their personal stories. The exhibit invites viewers to confront the question survivors are often asked and recognize that responsibility for assault lies solely with the perpetrator, not the survivor.
The installation serves as both a tribute to resilience and a call to action for social change, encouraging the community to act together to prevent sexual violence in all its forms and in support of survivors. It requires us all to evaluate what enabled us as individuals and as a society to ask, āwhat were you wearing?ā in the first place.
āĀŅĀ×ŗ£½Ē like this are critical for challenging misconceptions, supporting survivors, and encouraging a culture of consent,ā said Alison Gibson, chair of the ĀŅĀ×ŗ£½Ē sexual violence prevention committee. āWe also recognize that the exhibit can be emotionally triggering for those impacted by sexual violence. We encourage anyone who wishes to speak with someone for support to reach out to the Counselling Services team at their respective campus.ā
ĀŅĀ×ŗ£½Ē is committed to fostering safer campuses by empowering survivors of sexual and gender-based violence through compassionate support, ongoing education, and meaningful action. āAt ĀŅĀ×ŗ£½Ē, you have options, and we are here to support you at every step of your journey,ā said Gibson.
To learn more about ĀŅĀ×ŗ£½Ē supports and community resources for sexual violence, visit
ĀŅĀ×ŗ£½Ē is committed to preventing sexual violence, providing education and training, and responding to sexual violence in all its forms as outlined in our Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy, available at
Tags: Sexual Violence Awareness