Do you really think you 'asked for it' when you experienced street sexual harassment?
How often have you found yourself blaming the pair of jeans, the salwar kameez, the skirt, the t shirt? Do you really think it is your fault when you are violated? Do you really think you deserve to be humiliated? Do you really think that it is only certain kind of clothes that result in women experiencing street sexual harassment?
We say NO.
We say there is no such thing as 'asking for it' and we need you to prove that for us/ yourself.
How?
Send in 1 garment you wore when you experienced 'eve teasing'. Your garment is your truth, your witness, your evidence, your memory. You can volunteer to collect clothes volunteers from friends, family, peers, associated and sent them in.
You can make this happen. It's simple- ask yourself and others around you to remember that one garment you wore when you were made to feel that you 'asked for it'.
Collect one, two or twenty, be the Blank Noise Action Hero from your city. town. locality.
What next?
We propose to install these clothes on the streets of your city and collectively challenge the notion that women ask to be sexually violated.
Suren Vikash participated in this event by bringing back a bag filled with clothes- belonging to his sister, cousins, and relatives. This is to say that men can participate in actualizing this as well!
- There will be a contact person per city- that could be you. want to volunteer?
- If you wish to collect clothes on behalf of Blank Noise from where you are based, email us. We would be thrilled to have you taking on this responsibility!
- The mailing address will be shared on email and will be city specific.
- Please attach a note about what exactly took place.
- Please attach the age of the person who experienced it.
- Your identity will not be revealed if you do not want it to.
- You could also photograph the garment and send it to us. We will share it on the blog.
- If you have any other ideas on how you can participate- actualizing the event, fund raising, seeking permissions etc, write in now!
- If you have already discarded that one garment to this project- we will be adding your name to this list below. If you have not been mentioned, please email us and we will add you right away!
- some of you may not have the garment with you- for instance if the incident took place in childhood and it was a school uniform- in that case do desrcribe the garment to us, or send us something close to it.
The idea- When women experience sexual violence/ harassment/ or are 'teased' they are made to feel guilty for experiencing it. We are taught to blame ourselves for being 'dressed provocatively', for being in the wrong location, at the wrong time. Public perception and blame also assumes that a certain female stereotype gets assaulted for the 'right reasons'. The truth is that we have been receiving all kinds of clothes- school uniforms, saris, short skirts, asexual-shirts, jeans, salwar kameez. No matter what you wear, a no means NO. There is no such thing as 'asking for it'
Blank Noise challenges notions of time, place , dress and person. With I never asked for it- we challenge the notion that women actually 'ask to be sexually assaulted'
We take a stand and urge you to do the same. I never asked for it. Yes we want 1000!
reference:
Our last street action on international women's day, March 8 asked Blank Noise Action Heroes from across the country to come wearing the garment they wore when sexually assaulted.
also see:
Cheap girls and this.
