A Survivor Art Installation
In 2013 the “What Were You Wearing?” Survivor Art Installation originated at the University of Arkansas. Inspired by a poem written by assault survivor Mary Simmerling, the installation has travelled all over the country sharing the true stories and unfortunate realities of sexual assault survivors and the clothes they were wearing at the time, dismantling the myth that clothing impacts the likelihood of being targeted. More than a decade later this exhibit will be up for display at BGSU in partnership with The Cocoon, Wood County’s only domestic and sexual violence advocacy center.
The Cocoon
The goals of the What Were You Wearing exhibit are close to the heart of Justina Fuqua-Black, communications and outreach coordinator for The Cocoon. Working closely with survivors for years now she and the rest of the team at The Cocoon are anxious to spread awareness and increase education on the topic of sexual assault. “We work with all survivors and help them along their journey to find safety, healing, and justice.” Whether it’s having a conversation over a cup of coffee, helping them navigate the criminal justice system, or being available 24/7 on a crisis hotline, Fuqua-Black says the team at The Co- coon is dedicated to providing any service within their means to help.
The partnership with The Center for Violence Prevention and Gender Equity at BGSU allows for the What Were You Wearing exhibit to have a much bigger audience and reach more students as well as the community at large. The exhibit will be featured during the month of April also being Sexual Assault Awareness month, as a part of several programs The Cocoon will be hosting. “We dedicate programming out in the community to bring education, prevention, and awareness and to start conversations about survivorship and the stigma around individuals experiencing violence.”
Combatting Victim-Blaming Rhetoric
To this day there is still stigma and a lack of understanding around sexual violence and what is and is not consent. In the What Were You Wearing exhibit, outfit recreations of real survivors are featured and the range of age and gender in the survivors is staggering to witness. “We have about 20 stories that were collected a year and a half ago from our local community and the age range starts at 3-4 years old and goes up to 65.” Each outfit is paired with a brief narrative description of the clothing and the moment it’s forever linked to.
The moving and powerful nature of this installation often leads audiences feeling uncomfortable and challenged in their ideas on sexual violence but Fuqua-Black insists that sitting in that discomfort is essential in breaking down the myth. “It’s not a topic that people want to discuss and we often get backlash but at the end of the day, these are real people and real stories and having empathy and compassion is the first step in having a new perspective.”
A Responsible Bystander
Those who walk away from viewing the What Were You Wearing exhibit who wish to help in the ongoing journey of awareness of sexual assault can become what Fuqua-Black calls a responsible bystander. “We offer a lot of training on how to be a responsible bystander when you’re out in public or with friends, how to intervene safely to keep you and the person who might be at risk of being harmed, safe.” The overall hope of Fuqua-Black and everyone at The Cocoon is for the community to be educated, aware, and safe.
Center for Women and Gender Equity, Gender Violence Prevention
Wednesday, April 9, 8:30am to 6:30pm
Bowen-Thompson Student Union 1001 E Wooster St, Bowling Green
events.bgsu.edu/event/what-were-you-wearing
