The Clothesline Project, an effort to raise awareness of gender-based violence, is a visual testimony to the shattering effect of violence and the impact it has on society.

Survivors of violence—and friends and families of victims—create shirts emblazoned with direct messages and strong illustrations. The shirts demonstrate the pain and suffering of the survivors, aid in their healing process, and celebrate their strength and courage to overcome the past.

The shirts are hung side by side on a clothesline, as though the survivors were standing there themselves, shoulder to shoulder, bearing witness to the violence committed on a daily basis.

The shirts are color-coded: white for those who have died from violence; yellow or beige for survivors who have been battered or assaulted; red, pink, or orange for those raped or sexually assaulted; blue or green for survivors of incest or child sexual abuse; purple or lavender for those attacked because of their sexual orientation; and black for survivors handicapped by violence.

The Clothesline Project educates the public about the scope of gender-based violence and the impact it has on individuals, their families and friends, and the community. The project encourages survivors to come forward to break the silence by creating shirts to share their stories.

 

The Clothesline Project educates the public about the scope of gender-based violence and the impact it has on individuals, their families and friends, and the community. The project encourages survivors to come forward to break the silence by creating shirts to share their stories.

To create your own shirt in a quiet, comfortable environment, please drop by the Women’s Center at Virginia Tech at 206 Washington Street in Blacksburg from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from March 27 to March 31. All materials are supplied free of charge.

This local Clothesline Project was initiated in 1994 by the Montgomery County chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Over 580 shirts made by New River Valley residents are currently on the line.

Local sponsors include Montgomery County NOW, the United Feminist Movement, the Women’s Center at Virginia Tech, and the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley.

Community members are encouraged to view the display on the Drillfield at Virginia Tech from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28 or Wednesday, March 29. The inclement weather location is Squires Student Center.

For more information, please contact Susan Anderson at 231-8041 (w), 951-2013 (h), or anderson@math.vt.edu.

— Submitted by Susan Anderson