What Were You Wearing? Exhibit

What Were You Wearing? Exhibit

The Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Office (SVPRO), in partnership with the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Centre (SADVTC), are bringing the What Were You Wearing? Art Exhibit to the University of Waterloo.

The exhibit recreates outfits worn by university students when they experienced sexual violence. Sexual violence survivors are often asked, “what were you wearing?”, implying that what someone wears is the cause of sexual violence.

This semester, the SVPRO and the SASVTC are recreating the exhibit to highlight the pervasiveness of victim-blaming and the harm and trauma it causes survivors.

This myth about sexual violence is used to blame survivors and justify the actions of those who cause harm. Survivors are never to blame for their experience(s) of sexual violence. We all have the right to wear what we want. 

Sexual violence myths, also known as rape myths, want us to believe that survivors ‘ask for it’ through their behaviour and manner of dress. But the fact is that no behaviour or manner of dress justify sexual violence - the onus is on the person causing harm not to do so.

You can visit the Exhibit in the SLC multi-purpose room Tuesday, October 24 and Wednesday, October 25 from 10am – 8pm. Everyone is welcome!

Engage with the exhibit at your own pace.

Questions can be directed to: Stacey Jacobs, s3jacobs@uwaterloo.ca