The number of women who have fallen victim to sexual assault in Israel are as high as anywhere else. But research also shows that a whopping 40% of the Israeli public believe that the way women dress, if revealing, is partly to blame for their assault, in other words - they are “asking for it.” This is the kind of attitude that launched "Slutwalks" as a response in other parts of the world, but creative agency Gefen Team decided to show people how absurd that line of thinking is, with the "She was asking for it" fashion collection.
Comme Il Faut is a women’s Israeli fashion brand. Their core mission is to promote feminist agendas, and this summer the brand tackled victim blaming with their collection.
To highlight the absurdity, each collection item was attached to a quote, based on words of rapists and assaulters, collected from the media, court protocols, internet commentary and victims' testimonies:
In Comme Il Faut’s stores, shopping transformed into a thought-provoking experience. They turned the fitting rooms into confession booths, encouraging women to anonymously write their personal stories and add their own quotes. The collection didn’t just raise awareness and changed the conversation regarding victim blaming - it also raised donations for the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel. The collection got the Israeli media’s attention and sparked heated debates on social channels.
Ad Agency - Gefen Team., Tel Aviv