Testimonies from victims. Portraits of men and women affected. These were just two of the illustrations on display at the Reclaim art exhibition on Friday 30 September.
Hosted by SASHA – Students Against Sexual Harassment and Assault – the aim of the exhibition was to raise awareness that no victim of sexual violence is alone, advocating for change on university campuses and in the wider community.
The president of SASHA, Chloe Schneider, said: “I think this art exhibition is a really important space just to provide an environment where victims feel able to talk about their experiences without any shame or judgement or any repercussions.”
The artist behind all of the work at the exhibition was Lauren Royall, a 19-year-old student at the University of Leeds.
Royall said: “It felt like a challenge to talk about something like this.
“I wanted to open up conversations and really support anyone who was brave enough to be interviewed by me and talk about what they’ve been through.”
The event raised over £500 for two charities that aid victims of sexual violence in Leeds.
Bob Balfour, a volunteer for Survivors West Yorkshire, spoke at the event about the importance of exhibitions like this to spread awareness to sexual harassment and assault.
He said: “I’ll speak to you as a survivor who has been campaigning for change for 23 years, to see so many people in a space who are looking to explore art and the stories of survivors is a representation of the change that’s coming in society.”
