Thursday night, a small group carried a heavy mattress decorated with messages against sexual violence through the streets of Capitol Hill. Another mattress celebrating respect and consent — equally heavy — was also hoisted onto shoulders and carried by the group.

The old Value Village building was temporarily used as a pop-up arts and gathering space

The signs and messages were created at 11th Ave’s V2 in an event organized by the Expose Rape Coalition, a group bringing together artists and photographers dedicated to “dismantling rape culture in Seattle” —

Our mission is to expose and broaden the way that rape is viewed and defined, bust rape myths and create consent culture through public art. We are not compromising in our message and we don’t have to divide rape by the communities it affects. By highlighting a diverse group of artists in this project we aim to represent a wide range of experiences, all with powerful messages in combating rape culture.

After gathering in the former Value Village, not temporary arts and events space to create their messages, the group and organizer Kaya Axelsson took to the streets for a “Consent Craw.”

The group’s #exposerape posters can also be found on utility poles around Capitol Hill. You can learn more at exposerapedotorg.wordpress.com.