At Fairspace, we look back with pride and gratitude on the successful opening of ‘Not My Fault’, our art exhibition on victim blaming after sexual harassment and violence. This exhibition, on display at WORM, brought together a wide range of perspectives from people who faced disbelief, scepticism or even unwillingness to help them after their experience. Compiling these stories was an intense and confrontational process, but all the more necessary. Yet this is only a fraction of the experiences out there.
An evening of powerful words and art
The opening was introduced by Pascal Lansink-Bastemeijer, whose words immediately underlined the urgency of the topic. This was followed by impressive performances by İmre İşmen and Elten Kiene, who used spoken word and poetry to make the impact of victim blaming tangible in a penetrating way.
After this special start, visitors were invited to walk through the exhibition themselves and literally dive step by step into Nia’s Diary – a collective diary we compiled with stories about victim blaming in different contexts.
Victim blaming from different perspectives
The exhibition showed how victim blaming not only affects individual experiences, but also how deeply it is woven into our society. The diary stories gave insights into:
- The role of the media – how framing and word choice in news reports can subtly place blame on the victim.
- Online reactions – the damaging and often merciless comments people receive after sexual violence
- Institutional victim blaming – how bureaucracy and disbelief can further isolate victims rather than support them
- Victim blaming in men – the stigma and stereotypes men experience when they become victims
- Partner violence and domestic violence – the complexity behind the question ‘Why didn’t you just leave?’
The exhibition showed how statements such as ‘Why did you walk there alone at night?’ or ‘Couldn’t you just run away?’ cause further trauma and make it harder for victims to seek support. By making these questions tangible, we want visitors to reflect on their own assumptions and how they can contribute to a society where support is central instead of blame.
Working together for change
Although victim blaming is deeply rooted, we believe change is possible. During the exhibition, we had valuable conversations, opened perspectives and created space to discuss the uncomfortable.
We would like to thank our partner Sagitta Creatives for bringing this exhibition to life visually and conceptually. Thanks to their artistic and substantive contribution, Nia’s Diary could be presented in a powerful and confrontational way.
The conversation about victim blaming does not stop here. We remain committed to raising awareness and promoting social change. Want to know more about this project or work together for a future without victim blaming? Feel free to contact us – we are happy to engage.
In addition, Fairspace offers a training on how to respond in a trauma-sensitive way when someone tells about sexual violence. This training helps individuals and organisations to speak to victims in a supportive and safe way. Want to know more about this? Contact us and find out how you can contribute to a society where support and understanding are central.
Together, we create a society where everyone feels heard, supported and safe.
