Some students at Red Deer College teamed up with the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre to present an interactive, thought-provoking exhibit on this International Women's Day.

They're working to bring awareness to the issue of victim blaming and the stigma around women's clothing as the reason why they were sexually assaulted. 

2nd year Nursing student Heather McIvor says they're using live mannequins wearing various types of clothing actual victims were wearing at the time of their assault.

“Often after a sexual assault case they will be asked well what were you wearing and that’s not appropriate because it’s not the women’s clothing the reason why she was sexually assaulted so we’re just trying to raise awareness to the fact that it happens and again try and reduce the stigma around that.  It doesn’t matter if you were wearing sweatpants; it doesn’t matter if you were wearing a short skirt and a tank top or a bikini, it shouldn’t matter what you were wearing for that to happen, it’s still not ok”.

McIvor says there's too much silence around the topic in general.

“It’s not a topic people like to even acknowledge to be honest, you mention sexual assault and people shy away, they don’t want to acknowledge that it happens or that they may know someone that has done it or that it has happened to, but it’s a very real problem”.

The mannequins involved in the display also did not speak at today’s event, McIvor says it's part of the power of the display, as a lot of times when someone is sexually assaulted they are encouraged not to talk about or express their feelings.