We’ve all heard about it. Maybe some of us have even seen it in our daily lives—possibly seen a friend or family member fall victim to it.
Violence against women.
It’s a chilling thought. So in the fall of 1990, Family Resources, Inc. began the Clothesline Project and hung thirty-one shirts in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Since then, the Project has spread to many different areas around the country and it’s still growing.
In a pamphlet by Family Resources, Inc. they state the purpose of the Clothesline Project:
1. To bear witness to the survivors as well as the victims of the war against women.
2. To help with the healing process for people who have lost a loved one or are survivors of this violence.
3. To educate, document, and raise society’s awareness of the extent of the problem of violence against women.
4. To provide a nationwide network of support, encouragement and information for other communities starting their own Clothesline Project.
Some facts?
– “One out of two women will be in a violent relationship.” –National Victim Center
– “Every single minute of every day more than one woman is raped in America.” –U.S. Justice Department
– “Before the age of 18, one out of three girls and one out of five boys will be victims of incest or sexual assault.” – Survivors of Incest Anonymous
Seem shocking? For some, maybe it is, but it’s the truth. The Clothesline Project makes sure that people are aware of the violence some women go through every day of their lives. It’s an opportunity for those who are, or have been, victims to design a T-shirt. It’s a chance for activists to stand up and state on a shirt for all to see that rape and violence against women is wrong. It’s a chance for family members of those lost because of violence to put out a shirt for that victim and to help others realize the reality of violent situations against women.
The color purple is used for spreading awareness of violence against women
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The purple bands that have been passed out during the St. Ambrose Clothesline Project display four powerful words: Hope, Faith, Courage, Strength.
How do you know if you or a friend is in an abusive relationship? Here are just some warning signs from different resources that were found in the Women’s Studies Resource Center on SAU’s campus:
– Does your partner try to keep you from having other friends?
– Does your partner pressure you for sex?
– Does your partner physically hurt you?
– Violence is a way for one person to have power over the other. Do you feel powerless?
– Are you afraid of your partner?
– Do you feel as if you can’t be yourself?
These are just some of the warning signs. Nobody has power over you to force you or even coerce you into having sex. You are always free to be exactly who you want to be. It is not okay for your partner – or anyone – to physically hurt you.
Here are two wheels about dating relationships. A healthy relationship would fall in the Equality Wheel. An unhealthy relationship would fall in the Power and Control Wheel.
There are many people who you can talk to on campus if you are in an abusive relationship or fear that a friend might be. We have a counseling center in the Rogalski Center. Our previous campus celebrity, Katy Strzepek, in the Women’s Studies Resource Center (224 Ambrose Hall), would have more information for you, and any of the professors here would be willing to help you.