There is a form of victim blaming where a survivor of sexual assault tells their story and they are met with the question, “What were you wearing?”. This question is used to invalidate a person’s experience and suggests that the clothing they were wearing is connected to their assault. This piece combats that line of questioning and works towards breaking the stigma that exists around this topic.  

 

R_PE Connects Us is 4 lines of rope that represents a clothesline with drawings of the clothes worn before an assault. I have included my own outfit from my own experience and asked individuals on SIUE's Campus who felt comfortable sharing, a small amount of information based on 4 questions on a note. I asked, "How old are you right now? What is your gender? How old were you during your experience? What were you wearing? If you can, be descriptive."

I pulled two notes from the box and turn them into drawings and added them on the clothesline with my own outfit. 

 

These notes were also included in the final installation to show how many of us there are and to let others know they are not alone. Participants were free and encouraged to remain anonymous but are given the opportunity to let their voice be known. 

 

 I thank everyone for their time, courage, and perseverance to continue on. If this topic or experience affects you, never be afraid to ask for help. For additional resources please call the National Sexual Assault hotline 1-800-656-4673.