“What Were You Wearing?,” an exhibit by the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO), took place on Tuesday and Wednesday in the SLC multi-purpose room. The exhibit showcases the clothes worn by students when they were sexually assaulted. UW’s SVPRO partnered with the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Centre at St. Mary’s General Hospital to bring this exhibit to campus.
The exhibit aimed to challenge the myth that one’s outfit is the cause of their assault, and also to start conversations about sexual violence. Stacey Jacobs, the Sexual Violence Prevention Project Coordinator, said that “there are many cases of sexual violence that aren’t looked into.” She also said that “this exhibit gives her hope that as a community we can move forward and create consent culture at the University of Waterloo.”
Since the last “What Were You Wearing?” exhibit which took place in winter 2023, there have been seven stories and outfits added to increase diversity. Jacobs stated that “students felt like they weren’t being represented, so we took that very seriously and incorporated that into this exhibit.” This year’s exhibit also includes a QR code which leads to an anonymous server where anyone can share their story and feedback on the exhibit.
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