“what were you wearing?” exhibit installation at United Nations Headquarters in New York City, March 3 - April 7, 2022. 

what were you wearing?

‍In fashion, this question celebrates identity, creativity, and influence. But for survivors of sexual assault, it’s used to blame them for the violence that happened to them. In one context this question is empowering. In the other, it takes away survivors’ agency.

What we were wearing at the time of our attack was not an invitation for violence.

What we were wearing did not cause the attack; only our perpetrators caused the attack.

What we were wearing is irrelevant.

And yet by boldly showing the world what we were wearing, we believe we can open minds and shift attitudes about what sexual assault looks like.

The outfits in this exhibit are 103 in total, representing the 1.3 billion survivors of sexual violence across the globe.

Each outfitted figure represents more than 10 million survivors around the world. You can see the diversity of the outfits--in terms of age, gender, culture, and occasion--and read their stories. The exhibit is intended to demonstrate the pervasiveness of the crime of sexual assault, and the many different faces of the survivors among us.

Do you know what sexual violence looks like? See below to reveal the survivor outfits. The truth may surprise you.