The Title IX Office is hosting “What Were You Wearing?” installations in April on Main and Health Science Campuses.
Main Campus “What Were You Wearing?” runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, April 10, through Thursday, April 13, in Carlson Library Room 1005.
HSC “What Were You Wearing?” runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, April 17, through Thursday, April 20, in Mulford Library.
The ‘What Were You Wearing?’ installation is a collection of survivors’ sexual assault stories and recreations of the outfits they were wearing at that time. The goal is to debunk the common myth that sexual violence happens because someone dresses a certain way or that they were “asking for it.”
In reality, what someone wears when they are sexually assaulted is irrelevant, and sexual assault is never the survivors’ fault.
HSC has not hosted the installation since 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The return of “What Were You Wearing?” to HSC ensures that all members of the campus community can access and learn from its poignant message.
“We have 11 new survivor stories and outfit re-creations added to the collection this year,” said Centraya Forbes, Title IX graduate assistant. “We are honored to be able to continuously share their stories in an empowering and impactful way.”
Sexual Assault Awareness Month occurs annually in April and is a campaign to continue to raise awareness about sexual violence. The goal of this month is to continue to educate the community and individuals on how to prevent and respond to sexual violence. The “What Were You Wearing?” installation is one of many programs to be hosted in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness month.
The Title IX Office will host a virtual kickoff 10 a.m. Monday, April 10, to formally open the installations on both campuses for viewing, featuring remarks from campus senior leadership.
To RSVP to or for more information about the virtual kickoff event, visit the event’s Invonet page.
In addition to the installation and virtual kickoff, the Title IX Office will host Lunch and Learn sessions from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, April 10, through Thursday, April 13, during which participants will have the opportunity to learn about different campus resources. Information and sign up for these sessions can be found on Invonet.
• Tuesday, April 11, University Counseling Center;
• Wednesday, April 12, Bringing in the Bystander/Consent Culture; and
• Thursday, April 13, Employee Assistance Program.
For more information about Title IX, where to report an incident related to Title IX, or additional resources, visit the UToledo Title IX website.
Additional events planned for Sexual Assault Awareness Month can be located by visiting the Sexual Assault Education and Prevention Program website.
The Title IX Office can be reached at titleix@utoledo.edu or 419.530.4191.
