Shoppers at Towne Square Mall may notice used, dated clothing in window displays at the center’s rear entrance. The clothing, not for sale or associated with any store, is part of a display by New Beginnings called, “What Were You Wearing?”
The display features short, printed stories and accounts of sexual assault, accompanied by samples of clothing representing what a victim was wearing at the time of their abuse.
“We want our community to see that sexual abuse and assault occurs every day to regular people — of all genders, sexual orientations, fashion or clothing choices in all sorts of settings and situations — at the hands of people that look like the people we see around us every day,” said Terri Crowe, a victim advocate at New Beginnings.
The “What Were You Wearing?” Survivor Art Installation originated at the University of Arkansas in 2013. What began as a poem, was turned into a visual representation of sexual assault. The installation asks viewers to understand sexual assault is never about the clothing worn by victims and “the act of shedding those clothes is never enough to bring peace or comfort to survivors.”
Crowe said New Beginnings highlighted vignettes from the original installation in Arkansas. Staff members bought clothing that matched the description of those victims’ accounts. Outfits on display include a cheerleading outfit, pajamas, military uniform and a young girl’s dress.
The description with that dress reads, “A sundress. Months later my mother would stand in front of my closet and complain about how I never wore any of my dresses anymore. I was six years old.”
“When community members see that sexual abuse and assault occurs no matter what style of clothing a person may have chosen to wear, the blame should be placed exactly where it belongs — squarely on the shoulders of the individuals choosing to commit these crimes,” Crowe said, adding that the installation at Towne Square Mall will be on display for the foreseeable future.
In 2018, between clients served in office and through community and school education outreach, New Beginnings served about 29,000 people across their seven-county service region.
