Justice

Artist's Eerie Photo Series Captures Sexual Assault on College Campuses

September 2nd 2016

Female college students aged 18-24 are three times as likely to be sexually assaulted than other women.

Here's one depiction of that statistic:

women sexually assaulted on campus graphRAINN - rainn.org

But one artist is presenting a far more difficult and stark depiction.

The photo series is titled "Fraternity Houses."

Violet Overn, a graduate of New York University, is highlighting the epidemic of campus sexual abuse and assault with her photo series "Fraternity Houses." Overn, a seemingly passed-out, faceless woman, is the subject of every photo.

"This is not about individuals, this is about an institutional problem, a problem that goes far beyond the Greek system and college campuses, as an artist creating artwork I wanted to give a voice to those who have been silenced, create a dialogue to be continued," Overn said in an email to ATTN:. "Someone had to start somewhere and say something."

Violet OvernViolet Overn - violetovern.com

"I am representing a body, a female body that has been harmed, a female body that has been harmed and is alone," Overn explained in the email. "My body is symbolizing a non-violent protest, a sit-in against systemic issues within an institution driven by male-power."

Overn also told the The Huffington Post:

"I was appalled at the way the media was portraying [Brock] Turner, showing flattering photos, giving him the benefit of the doubt, along with privileged treatment throughout the criminal justice system, an extremely light county jail sentence, and now even being released early on 'good behavior.'"

Violet OvernViolet Overn - violetovern.com

Turner was released from jail on Friday.

Turner served three months of his brief six month sentence for sexual assault on account of "good behavior." Though Turner was initially charged with two counts of rape, those charges were dropped, leaving him with two charges for felony sexual assault and one charge for attempted rape.

Violet OvernViolet Overn - violetovern.com

Turner was ultimately found guilty of "assault with intent to commit rape of an intoxicated/unconscious person, penetration of an intoxicated person, and penetration of an unconscious person," SF Gate reports.

One in five.

One in five women are sexually assaulted while in college, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Yet more than 90 percent of these assaults go unreported.

Violet OvernViolet Overn - violetovern.com

Updated 9/2/2016 at 5:35 pm PDT: This piece was updated to include a statement from the artist.

[h/t The Huffington Post]

Share your opinion

Do you know a sexual assault survivor?

No 14%Yes 86%