Sexual Assault Survivor Strips Nearly Naked Outside Library To Show Her Body Isn't A Sex Object

Sexual Assault Survivor Strips Nearly Naked Outside Library To Show Her Body Isn't A Sex Object

A student from Texas stripped nearly naked and sat outside her college library for 45 minutes in order to demonstrate her body isn't a sex object.

Monika Rostvold, a sexual assault survivor, performed the stunt at Texas State University on Monday, where she stripped down to nipple pasties and a nude thong.

Writing underneath a preview of her piece which she posted on YouTube, the 22-year-old says: "April is sexual assault awareness month, and I wanted to create a piece about the standards that exist in our society.

"As a survivor of sexual assault, I wanted to take control of my body by removing my identity and exposing myself to the public. I wanted people to view my body as beautiful and powerful and not as a sexual object."

Car probs

A photo posted by Monika Rostvold (@monikaugh) on

The student, whose stunt was part of an art project, was approached by police, but managed to convince them she was not breaking the law.

Speaking to campus radio station KTSW, she said: "My body is beautiful, natural, this is what it's supposed to be. I'm trying to take away it being a sex object.

"I was fully clothed when I got there... I recorded myself walking up to the steps and then completely taking my clothes off and then putting the ribbon [blindfold] and putting the headphones on."

"I was there for 45minutes in total and I was so nervous, I was sweating so bad, my heart was pounding and, like, really crazy."

Writing on her blog, Rostvold added: "Being a female artist its hard not to recognize how overly sexualized women are in societies culture. Pop culture, as a young girl, told me how to be a seductive woman. While, Personal experiences lead me to question ideas about sensuality."

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