In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Burton Barr Central Library in downtown Phoenix opened a “What Were You Wearing?” exhibit through the month of April to bring awareness to sexual assault victims.

“What Were You Wearing?”, a common question asked in response to a sexual assault victim as if clothing is an invitation to touch someone.

The exhibit displays an array of outfits worn during the assault with brief descriptions to prove that anyone can be a victim, regardless of clothing.

Wardrobes ranged from wedding dresses to toddlers’ pajamas, and even to hospital gowns with stories of assault from teachers, coworkers, and spouses.

“Where are you safe?” was the sentiment of one exhibit viewer.

With an average of 463,634 sexual assault victims per year, “What Were You Wearing?” is a display meant to challenge the victim blaming status quo of sexual assault and confront the viewer with the jarring reality of sexual assault and how it can truly happen to anyone.

“If we normalize it, we can actually address the issues that are happening because one of the things that is hard for some people is that, you know, you don’t feel comfortable or confident enough to go to someone and say, you know, this is happening to me” said another exhibit viewer.

The City of Phoenix Let’s Talk Teal initiative and the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence partnered with the library for the exhibit. Since 2019, the Let’s Talk Teal initiative has been an Arizona campaign to make space for the conversation of sexual assault and provide the people of Arizona with resources and hotlines in the case of assault.

The exhibit, along with resources from the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, can be found on the first floor of the Burton Barr Library and is open free to the public until May 1.