WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., March 22, 2022 — West Liberty University Creative Arts Therapy (CAT) major, Lindsay Manor, is spending the spring semester serving as an intern at the Ohio Valley Sexual Assault Help Center (OVSAHC) and learning about sexual violence and its effect on survivors.
When it came time to decide her senior project, she decided she wanted to fight the stigma of sexual violence and address victim blaming. Thus, she invites students and others to attend her art therapy workshop from 5 – 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 23, on the second floor of the College Union, in the Creative Arts Therapy studio.
Her project “What They Were Wearing” is inspired by the national movement of art exhibitions that display the clothing survivors were wearing at the time of the assault. This national art therapy movement was spurred by the poem written by Dr. Mary Simmerling, entitled “What I Was Wearing.”
Both the poem and the art exhibitions challenge the idea that clothing is to blame for sexual violence, a common argument that can be seen in news stories, public comments, and even evidence in the defense of a perpetrator, according to Terri Giller, WLU’s Creative Arts Therapy instructor.
“I think this type of work by Creative Arts Therapy students is important not only for their own experiences and education, but because it brings awareness of these issues to the campus community. The power of Creative Arts Therapy is that it can bring people together in a meaningful and powerful way and encourage social change, and Lindsay’s project does just that,” Giller said.
Manor, who is from Dickson, Tenn., will host the art workshop where participants are invited to create pieces of art from clothing, altering the clothing to challenge the idea that clothing is evidence of consent or justifies sexual violence.
“I think this project gives people an opportunity to vocalize their feelings through artwork and the chance to fight the stigma of victim blaming. A huge inspiration for me is growing up in a society where people, especially girls, are criticized for what they wear and how it ‘acts as a distraction’ and it is ‘too revealing.’ I believe this idea is ridiculous and it’s something we need to fight. Sexual violence has nothing to do with clothing and never has,” said Manor.
This event is open to all students. Art supplies will be provided and include clothing, but participants can bring their own to alter if they wish. Participants will then have the opportunity to display the artwork in the Creative Arts Therapy Gallery for the month of April.
“Since April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, it is good timing and we look forward to a meaningful workshop,” noted Giller.
West Liberty University is the only public university in the state of West Virginia offering an undergraduate degree in art therapy, and it recently added a graduate degree in Art Therapy and Counseling. The program is housed in the College of Liberal and Creative Arts and is under the direction of Dr. Susan Ridley.
For more information, call 304-336-8251 or visit our webpage at westliberty.edu/cat.