University of Mississippi student organization Rallying Against Sexual Assault is participating in Sexual Assault Awareness Month by hosting events throughout the month of April. The organization hosted its annual “What Were You Wearing?” event to show support for assault survivors on Thursday, April 11, on the Union Terrace.
Senior psychology major and RASA President Bailey Bishop explained that RASA is a student-led organization that works with survivors of sexual assault.
“Our three main things are awareness, education and prevention,” Bishop said.
Bishop spoke about the significance of the What Were You Wearing event.
“We hang up outfits of what survivors were wearing the day of their attack,” Bishop said. “And it shows that it’s not the clothes that make these things happen. It happens to people of all genders (and) all ages.”
15 outfits were displayed at What Were You Wearing, ranging from blouses,j eans, t-shirts, shorts and even pajamas. Some outfits had notes attached to them describing the event or situation the outfit was for.
Bishop explained that the outfits represented people of all ages, genders and events that the survivors were dressed for.
What Were You Wearing focuses on the idea that sexual assault is not the survivor’s fault. The event was also an opportunity for RASA to share information about victim-blaming.
“It’s so that people understand that it’s not the clothes, it’s not (the survivor’s) fault,” Bishop said.
Along with displaying outfits, RASA also had a table set up with informational pamphlets on domestic and intimate partner abuse as well as resources for victims. Junior psychology major Magan Perry expressed the organization’s intentions behind hosting the event.
“We’re doing this (event) for anybody that wants to come see it. It means a whole lot in retrospect that students have a voice now. We’ve given them a voice,” Perry said.
In addition to the What Were You Wearing event, RASA holds meetings every other Wednesday to discuss topics such as consent, healthy relationships, active bystander intervention and general education on how to prevent assault. The organization also delivers presentations for freshman student success and first-year experience classes.
Another unique activity that RASA works on is creative care kits for sexual assault survivors.
“When the (Violence Intervention and Prevention) Survivor Support office has a survivor come to them, we put together little care kits with items like fuzzy socks, candles and journals, just things to let them know that we support them,” Bishop said.
The next event that RASA is hosting for Sexual Assault Awareness Month is the Take Back the Night rally on Tuesday, April 16, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the Union Plaza.
If you or someone you know may have experienced sexual assault or violence, resources can be found on the university’s VIP: Survivor Support website.
