Ouachita and Henderson to co-host "What Were You Wearing?" sexual assault survivor art exhibit April 2-20
March 21, 2017
- Sarah DavisOuachita Baptist University and Henderson State University will simultaneously host
the traveling art exhibit, “What Were You Wearing?” The exhibit, which will be located
in the McClellan Rotunda at Ouachita and on the first floor of Huie Library at Henderson,
will run from April 2-20 for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. An opening reception
will be held Tuesday, April 3, from 4-6 p.m. at the Captain Henderson House. The survivor
art installation is free and open to the public, and viewers are cautioned that some
may find the exhibit’s content disturbing.
This partnership between the two universities will help educate students and the community
on several myths of sexual assault: that it only happens to women, that the predator
is unknown and that what people are wearing has something to do with the assault.
“Our goal is to bring awareness to the reality of sexual assault – that it does not
discriminate based on gender, age, or even what you were wearing,” said Ashlee Giles,
student complaint coordinator at Ouachita. “This is an uncomfortable topic to discuss,
so sometimes it seems easier to assign blame than to truly grasp the complexity of
the situation. Viewers of this exhibit are allowed to wrestle with pre-conceived assumptions
regarding how and to whom assault happens.”
The exhibit, which was first created on the University of Arkansas’ campus in April
2014, was inspired by Dr. Mary Simmerling’s poem “What I was wearing.” The poem is
Simmerling’s response to the question from the night she became a victim: a white
shirt, jean skirt and white shoes.
“If only it were so simple, if only we could end rape by simply changing clothes,”
Simmerling wrote. “I remember also what he was wearing that night, even though it’s
true that no one has ever asked.”
Jen Brockman, director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center at the
University of Kansas, and Dr. Mary Wyandt-Hiebert, director of RESPECT at the University
of Arkansas, developed the framework for an exhibit that utilized Simmerling’s poem.
Volunteers shared a brief description of what they wore and what happened the night
they were sexually assaulted. The stories are paired with recreated outfits.
One example is, “Blue Pajamas. I wasn’t feeling well, and he came over to ‘take care
of me.’ I trusted him, and he raped me.” Brockman and Wyandt-Hiebert wrote, “To ask
the question ‘what were you wearing?’ cost the questioner nothing; there is no labor
in making this statement. However, the survivor must pay dearly in not only their
answer, but also in the burden of self-blame.”
The Ouachita/Henderson exhibit will display multiple outfits on each campus. A diverse
representation of outfits will be featured including women’s, men’s and children’s
clothes. Each campus will present different stories and clothing in their exhibit,
allowing students and unknown victims to have a safe space.
“I’m excited we could partner with Ouachita on this exhibit,” said Allison Vetter,
Title IX coordinator at Henderson State University. “The simultaneous displays allow
students and others a ‘safe space’ to view survivor stories as well as share their
own. We will also provide information regarding on- and off-campus resources. I believe
this will be a meaningful event for everyone who attends.”
For more information, contact Ashlee Giles at [email protected] or (870) 245-5200.
By Sarah Davis // Photo courtesy of Jen Brockman & Mary Wyandt-Hiebert
March 21, 2017
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