What is it?
Sexual harassment is an action that undermines a women's sense of personal dignity, disrupts her education, and interferes with her ability to become who she could be. Psychological effects of sexual harassment include but are not limited to, anxiety, depression, disrupted sleep, loss of appetite, inability to concentrate, lowered self-esteem, loss of interest in regular activities, social isolation, and feelings of sadness, fear, or shame. Some women may abuse drugs or alcohol to cope, in extreme cases, they may attempt suicide.
What is the 97%
Within the conversation of sexual harassment the term '97%' is used often. But what does it mean? The Cardinal Chronicle polled 1,000 women between the ages of 18 and 24, and only three percent of women polled said they had never been harassed. This means that ninety-seven percent of these women have been a victim of sexual harassment. '97%' was a trend on social media outlets such as Tik-Tok and Instagram in early 2021 that gave women a space to share their experiences and listen to others.
Insane Statistics
94% of rapists never go to jail
One in five women in the United States experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime
One in three female victims of completed or attempted rape experienced it for the first time between the ages of 11 and 17
The estimated average lifetime cost of rape is $122,461 per victim from a collection of medical, phycological, and legal expenses
What were you wearing?
"He was eight years older than me and visiting from the US... I trusted him because I didn't think I had anything to fear in broad daylight. I screamed as loud as I could and no one helped me. After it was over I was bleeding and sobbing loudly. He asked if I liked it."
"I was thirteen in my school uniform. He was three years older than me...[I] waited for the basketball game at our school to start. I never made it to the basketball game. He shamed me, and it continued for a year until I told anyone."
"It was thirteen years ago and I still remember that instant as it is etched so vividly in my mind... Just for an instant I wandered off to the car and those car seats made me want to take a nap. How could any normal human being be provoked by a kid sleeping? I woke up to an uncomfortable pain that still makes me shiver. I saw this man, a familiar face trying to pacify me saying 'It is just me! Your favorite Uncle! Don't be scared'. How can I ever see the world with innocence again? I went and told my mother feeling helpless and weak, but she asked me to let it go and just keep it quiet and that she would take care of it. Her words were 'If anyone finds out about this, I will forever be marked.' ...It has haunted me for more than a decade until I finally reached out for help.
The above photos and stories were taken from anonymous victims of sexual harassment and rape who decided to share their stories with the University of Toledo for a 'What Were You Wearing' art installation. The intention of this installation was to show and prove that what you wear does not protect you or provoke others. I have added these stories to my webpage to do the same.
The problem
Not enough people are educated in the severity of sexual harassment, what it actually is, and what they can do to limit it.
My solution
I made this website to be able to share what exactly sexual harassment is, some horrible statistics, and my research on peoples personal stories. Mainly, I wanted to educate as many people as possible on the severity and harsh reality of sexual harassment.
These are three people who have been victims of sexual harassment and lost part of themselves and part of their lives which they will never get back. There are countless other people who have gone through the same things and have been unable or too scared to ask for help to get the support they desperately need. These three people, Susan, Malik and mom 'M', were all brave enough to reach out to strangers and ask for financial help in order to help them physically, mentally, emotionally and legally.
My Backstory
Throughout the process of finding and creating a passion project, my process was much different than others because my passion project was not a physical thing. I was not creating something you could hold or attend, I was creating a space for me to learn and teach as many people as I could about the seriousness of sexual harassment (SA). I wanted to do something about SA and educate people on it and its severity. In this process I found out just how many people will do almost anything to avoid talking about SA. I am passionate about doing everything I can to make sure people, especially women, know that they have every right to be informed and do what they can to stay safe. Passionate about informing people of this very real, very scary thing. Passionate about changing, the question 'What was she wearing?' to 'Is she ok?' and 'How can I help?'.
My Podcast
Special thanks to Sophia, Evan, Eliza and Sid for being in the pictures.