Inside a Sydney warehouse, dozens of outfits are displayed throughout the partitions. Pyjamas, child garments and a hi-vis workwear uniform are hung up, subsequent to a bit of A4 paper that reveals the devastating story purpose every merchandise is there.
Next to a marriage gown, its proprietor has written three sentences.
“My wedding dress. On the day of my wedding.
“By my husband and his friends.”
The gown and each merchandise alongside it are examples of the prevalence of sexual assault throughout the nation. The most up-to-date knowledge from the Australian Bureau of Statistics stated 31,118 cases of sexual assault had been reported to police in 2021 – the most important quantity in 29 years.
Almost two-thirds of the victims had been beneath the age of 18, and multiple third of the assaults had been recorded as household and home violence associated.
Sarah Williams, founding father of What Were You Wearing Australia (WWYW) – a non-for-profit aiming to destigmatise and stop sexual assault – stated two new exhibitions are headed to Sydney over the subsequent week, with others throughout the nation within the works.
Ms Williams, a survivor of kid sexual abuse, was simply 19 when she introduced WWYW to Australia, after it gained a following in America and elements of Europe following its launch in 2014.
Anyone, anyplace
The exhibitions intention to unfold consciousness that sexual assault can occur to anybody, anyplace – it doesn’t matter what they’re carrying.
In earlier showcases, garments line the partitions of the exhibition house, with confronting, actual tales of sexual assaults connected to them.
Various clothes from child garments to tradie uniforms, wedding ceremony clothes to T-shirts had been displayed alongside the phrases of sexual assault survivors.
Ms Williams stated over the previous few years, WWYW Australia has acquired over 26,000 tales from folks all around the nation who’ve skilled some form of sexual violence.
The first Australian exhibition of WWYW was held in Newcastle in 2021, with footage of the show quickly going viral on social media platform, TikTok.
“Each time it’s shared online, it just goes viral,” Ms Williams stated.
“I think it really shows that it can happen to anyone, and it doesn’t matter what you were wearing.
“It aims to take away that assumption that what you’re wearing can provoke abuse. We have had so many different clothing items on display – the wedding dress and baby clothes are two that hit really hard.”
Millions of individuals have considered the TikTok movies, with customers commenting on the shock they felt seeing the marriage gown and younger kids’s garments.
“My wedding dress. On the day of my wedding,” the story alongside an extended white robe within the exhibition learn.
“By my husband and his friends.”
Another survivor shared their story alongside a blue one-piece swimming outfit.
“I was four and I was swimming in my family’s pool,” they shared.
“I tried to hop out of the pool but they dragged me back in. I’ve never told anyone.”
School clothes, bikinis, basketball shorts, pyjamas and tradie uniforms are different objects that make up the exhibition.
The tales are additionally from a various vary of individuals, with one man sharing his expertise of sexual abuse by a colleague at a worksite.
“I was wearing my work uniform,” the person shared.
“I actually never told anyone what happened. I am also a male so I don’t want anyone to know my name, but I’ll smile when I see this represented.
“I am a tradie and it happened at work by my superior.”
Ms Williams stated after the success of the showcase on-line, the WWYW crew is bringing the exhibitions again, however this time, with a twist.
“We have some in the works for Sydney, Melbourne and in Tasmania towards the end of the year and the start of next year,” she stated.
“But we’re actually going to have people wearing the clothes, kind of like a fashion show, but instead showing that people can really be wearing anything when they’re abused.
“We’re aiming to get a diverse group of people to wear the clothes,” she stated.
WWYW have introduced a pop-up Sydney present on Saturday June 17 on the Law Lounge within the University of Sydney (Camperdown) from 11.30-3pm.
Collaborating with The Survivor Hub and Stories of Consent, WWYW will show extra objects of clothes worn by sexual assault survivors.
Safety in any respect hours
The non-for-profit has additionally launched a “Safer Nights Out Campaign” to advocate for safer areas and practices inside licensed venues.
As a part of the marketing campaign, Ms Williams stated a “clothes line” model of the favored, confronting exhibition will happen outdoors the Parliament House in Sydney on Thursday June 22.
“We are fighting to amend the RSA – add a section on drink spiking and sexual violence awareness. It’s imperative that more is done to make our night-life safer,” WWYW wrote on social media.
“This petition is more than a few words, it’s going to save lives. Since 2021, we have collected over 26,000 stories from survivors. With over 14,000 of these being in relation to the music industry, night-life and drink spiking. We have heard you and we are doing this for you.
“It’s now in the hands of our government on whether they will hear our calls, and make this desperate change. The fight is not over, but the first part is complete.”
After sharing some harrowing tales of people that have skilled drink spiking in Aussie venues, Ms Williams and her crew got down to collect help for legislative change to supply extra companies so folks can get pleasure from safer nights out.
Armed with over 20,000 signatures on a petition to implement obligatory spiking and sexual violence coaching for safety and bar workers, Thursday’s exhibition is geared toward politicians to point out them the consequences of drug affected violence in golf equipment and hospitality venues.
“It’ll be a shock to politicians coming and going from Parliament House,” Ms Williams stated.
“Hopefully they do the right thing and vote to put protective training in place for bar staff.”
People are inspired to attend the outside exhibition between 2-5pm on the parliament debates the petition put ahead by Ms Williams and the WWYW crew.
Dates and places for the WWYW exhibition, beginning once more in Newcastle, might be introduced at a later date.
Originally printed as TikTok viral exhibition ‘What Were You Wearing?’ proclaims new dates in Australia
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
