By Khalida Sarwari
At two local Pilates studios, the sports bras are coming off, but this is no sexual revolution 2.0; no one is lighting these bras on fire. Instead, they’re dropping them into a donation box to help victims of sexual assault.
The Club Pilates studios in Saratoga and Sunnyvale are collecting sports bras to support Operation emBRAce, an initiative of the Grateful Garment Project, a San Jose-based organization that helps victims of sexual assault and violence. One of the things the organization does is provide emergency resources for victims of sexual violence who have undergone a forensic examination at hospitals or rape crisis centers, as part of which they’re required to surrender their clothes and are subsequently sent home in either scrubs or gowns. Lisa Blanchard, founder and executive director of the Grateful Garment Project, sees this as yet one more indignity suffered by these victims.
“The purpose of Operation emBRAce is to return dignity to those that have had it stolen so that people don’t have to do the walk of shame in paper scrubs or hospital gown,” she said. “That’s just not OK.”
The reason the organization has opted for sports bras over regular bras is twofold, said Blanchard. The practical reason is that it reduces the need for different cup sizes. Secondly, victims find sports bras more comfortable than regular bras.
“If you’re injured in that region, then having the snugness of the sport bras alleviates pain,” said Blanchard.
The organization provides resources, which in addition to undergarments includes clothes, toiletries and snacks, to hospitals and agencies in 31 counties across California, said Blanchard. Locally, they have resource lockers at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center locations in San Jose and Gilroy. Operation emBRAce aims to collect 20,000 bras by the end of April, which is, incidentally, sexual assault awareness month.
“Our goal is to raise 20,000 so that we have enough bras to last throughout the year and have a little surplus,” said Blanchard. “So far I want to say we’ve raised over 5,000, but we’re not there yet so we just continue pushing on until we reach our goal.”
Robin Hurwitz, a member of Club Pilates in Saratoga and San Jose resident, heard about the Grateful Garment Project years ago and brought up the initiative to Jessie Wu, who co-owns Club Pilates in Saratoga with her husband, Ken Ko. Wu said she teared up when she learned that sexual violence against young girls in her community is very much a reality. She has two daughters of her own, 8 and 11 years old.
“I didn’t know those things were happening here in our area,” she said. “I think it’s a great project, because most people don’t know, like me. I’m always thinking we’re in a safe environment until Robin told me. So we just need to bring it to people’s awareness.”
Wu agreed to let the Grateful Garment Project set up a donation box in the studio’s lobby and also had members of the group come and speak to her club members. Her personal goal is to collect at least 1,000 bras. Hurwitz said she was pleased by the studio’s response.
“I appreciate that a small business is trying to educate and reach out to the community, and I think what they’re doing is fabulous,” she said.
As for herself, Hurwitz said she would like to donate at least a dozen bras and is on the lookout for sales at retailers such as Target.
Anyone can support Operation emBRAce, either by donating sports bras or hosting a donation drive. The bras can be any size or brand, but they must be unused.
Drop-off locations are at Club Pilates in Saratoga, 14410 Big Basin Way, Suite E, and Club Pilates in Sunnyvale, 562 E El Camino Real.
To inquire about hosting a donation drive, contact Leah Michelle Taylor at 408-753-9362 or email leah@gratefulgarment.org.
Link:
Club Pilates collecting sports bras to ease recovery for sexual assault victims
