PHOTO DEMONSTRATION
The photographs below are based on quotes from true stories of students at Kent State University. They depict situations in which consent was not expressly given, and thus are instances of sexual assault.
Photographer: Marisa Goeble.
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After collecting the thirteen stories of sexual assault survivors, members of the Consent Campaign analyzed the stories to find quotes that were especially powerful and highlighted why the situations were sexual assault instead of sex. We then used those quotes to recreate scenes of sexual assault that conveyed the meaning and experience behind the quotes. The scenes were created with student volunteers who modeled for us, one of whom modeled in the story that she, herself, had submitted. The photos were taken by Consent Campaign member, Marisa Goeble, a senior Communication Studies major. While often solemn, the photoshoots became a way for the participants to socialize, work, and support one another based on their own experiences. As Marisa shot individual photos, the other models and contributors continued to brainstorm new scenes, shared a meal, and chatted with one another. From that group emerged some of our strongest supporters, who drummed up attention for the event and will join our team in the coming semester.
After the photos were complete, they were printed with the quotes that inspired them and displayed in the student center. Arranged in a circle, the centermost poster contained just a quote that read “I can’t ever forget what happened to me, but I know that it has made me a stronger person, and I can only get stronger from here.”
Our purpose was to highlight the difference between when consent is attained and when it is not by engaging students’ attention through art. Throughout the day, students and staff came to look at the photos, which intercepted many of their daily routes, and many stopped to remark how powerful the photos were and how they had challenged them to think about their meaning. We found that through art we were able to make real the impact of sexual assault to those on campus and remind survivors that they are not alone and it is alright to speak up. We sit poised to use that awareness to mobilize more students in both pushing through our proposed policy changes, intervening when they know sexual assault is happening, and being aware of how they approach sex.