Kent State University’s Center for Sexual and Relationship Violence Support Services (SRVSS) provided survivors of sexual or relationship violence the opportunity to heal by sharing their stories in a unique way.
The Clothesline Project is an artistic display to address the issue of sexual and relationship violence. The project begins with a T-shirt. Anyone, but specifically survivors of power-based violence, designs a T-shirt. The content of the shirt can be anything; most of the shirts include statistics, expressions, messages or just visuals.
The purpose of this project is to bear witness to the survivors and victims of sexual violence and help survivors in their healing process.
“This is a process of healing,” Monika Dubaria, health education and promotion graduate student and volunteer at SRVSS, said. “Anything someone has on their mind, and are not able to say to anyone else, they can say it through their shirt. We can help people express what they want to say against the person who violated them.”
The shirts are displayed on a clothesline in the Kent Student Center, so others may view these T-shirts as a testimony to the problem of sexual and relationship violence.
Each shirt symbolizes someone’s personal experience.
“When people passing by see the shirts, they can step in other peoples’ shoes and know someone’s been through this,” Dubaria said. “It creates awareness and educates people that relationship violence is everywhere. This project just brings it home to Kent State.”
This project gives survivors the ability to share their stories on their own terms and leave a lasting impact on those who view the display.
To learn more about the Clothesline Project, visit www.theclotheslineproject.org/.
Learn more about the Clothesline Project at Kent State www.kent.edu/srvss/clothesline-project.
Learn more about SRVSS at www.kent.edu/srvss.