Maquella Chacon
Staff Writer
When and if victims of sexual assault make the decision to come forward, they are often met with the scrutinizing question, “Well, what were you wearing?”
Starting April 1 and continuing through April 25, ISU is running an exhibit entitled “What Were You Wearing?” and hosting The Clothesline Project every Monday and Wednesday throughout April from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The exhibits answer that common question by showcasing what victims were reportedly wearing when they were sexually assaulted and how to speak out.
The exhibits are part of a month-long series of events entitled “Speak Out: Community Empowerment Against Sexual Violence.”
“Not only do we want to start the conversation, we want to change the conversation,” said “Speak Out” organizer and Communication, Media, and Persuasion professor Elizabeth Brunner.
“What Were You Wearing?” is being put on all around the world, starting at the University of Kansas. It illustrates the statistics that are often overlooked and serve no meaning other than numbers on a page.
Notably, this exhibit has been on display annually since 1998 in many northern Utah universities, but is now expanding to more colleges in the region, including ISU.
Schools request the stories included in this exhibit from the University of Kansas, then find clothes that illustrate the stories. The clothes on display were donated and provided by ISU students and faculty.
April is the national Sexual Assault Awareness month. By bringing awareness to the frequency and normality of rape on college campuses, awareness is spread and a voice is given to the victims.
Next to each item of clothing or outfit that is displayed, a small description is hung. The age, outfit and description are provided to make the story compelling. There are several stories showcased in an attempt to encourage people to come forward and dispel the myth that the victims are at fault.
All of the stories on display are true and come from universities all over the United States. In addition to these stories, a few local instances are showcased as well.
The exhibit is currently being held in the Rendezvous Atrium, the PSUB Lemhi Room and in the Idaho Falls SUB.
Brunner organized the event along with global studies professor Malliga Och and political science professor Kellee Kirkpatrick. Art professor Naomi Velasquez also contributed.
Organizers plan to keep up on the education and awareness annually with events that are changing each year. In 2017, they organized the “Surviving Voices” program of events featuring guest speaker Elizabeth Smart, a kidnapping and sexual assault survivor, to raise awareness to sexual assault and provide hope to fellow victims. Other events are to follow annually, along with more to come this month.
On April 2, ISU hosted Liz Seccuro for a talk about sexual assault, which concluded with a question-and-answer session in the Rendezvous Planetarium. Seccuro is the author of “Crash into Me: A Survivor’s Search for Justice.” She will also be involved in a roundtable discussion on April 17 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Rendezvous ABC suites.
The “Zero Shades of Gray” event will also be held later this month on April 16 in the PSUB Ballroom at 7 p.m. This event aims to educate and bring awareness about sexual assault and how to prevent it beforehand, but also handle it after it has occurred.
“Zero Shades of Grey” is a movement occurring in colleges all over the country that spans out to entertainment and serious conversations, similarly to The Clothesline Project. Ultimately, it has a goal of reaching out and bringing awareness to sexual assault. It is generally focused on the prevention instead of focusing on the aftermath, replacing fear with skills and knowledge to stop sexual assault.
The final event concluding “Speak Out” this month will be the Clark Carlile Speaking Contest. The contest will be held on April 18 at 5 p.m. in the PSUB Clearwater Room.
The competition is open to any undergraduate student who is currently a major in the department of Communication, Media, and Persuasion. The contestants will be judged by Communication, Media, and Persuasion faculty.
The top three speakers will receive scholarship money from the Carlile Scholarship fund. The topic acknowledges “Speak Out” and Sexual Assault Awareness Month by asking the question: “What policies could ISU adopt that would help to enhance efforts to prevent and/or respond to sexual assault on campus?”
In addition to bringing awareness, the movement and exhibits are also aimed at encouraging past and current victims to reach out and get help. Ending the forced silence of the victims and providing them with an outlet for help is ultimately the biggest goal.
ISU resources are available for those in need of help escaping and reporting assault. Counseling services are available at (208) 282-2130. Title IX, the Gender Resource Center and other offices spread throughout campus are trained to handle sexual assault and care for the victims.
