The ‘Clothesline Project’
The Clothesline Project consists of a clothesline holding hand-lettered T-shirts such as these to educate the public about domestic abuse and help heal the victims of such abuse. (photo:Pete Gwada )
They are part of the Clothesline Project sponsored by the Anderson County Family Justice Center to recognize the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
“We want to raise awareness of domestic violence and the resources and help available,” said Melissa Miller, executive director of the Family Justice Center.
She said there are eight clotheslines, which will be rotated to different places in the county each week.
They have appeared or will appear at such locations as libraries, churches, the Clinton Police Department, and in front of businesses.
The Family Justice Center serves Anderson County victims of domestic violence, elder abuse, sexual assault and trafficking. A wide range of services is offered, including helpiing people obtain orders of protection, advocacy, access to shelters, danger assessments, and counseling referrals.
All services are free and confidential.
Anyone needing these services can call 865 298-3129 or go to the Family Justice Center location near Jackson Square, at 310 Broadway Ave., Oak Ridge.
Miller said abuse victims and volunteers painted 200 T-shirts that were donated by Brysonn’s Closet, a second-hand clothing store in Oak Ridge. She said Brysonn’s Closet also donates clothing to be used by abuse victims.
“It is the very process of designing a shirt that gives each person a new voice with which to expose an often horrific and unspeakable experience that has dramatically altered the course of her life,” says the Justice Center’s website.
The Clothesline Project began in 1990 with 31 shirts on a clothesline at the village green in Hyannis, Mass., according to the official website of the project. Since then the project has spread nationally and internationally.
The website says that the color of the shirt has a significance. White represents women who have died because of violence. Yellow or beige represents battered or assaulted women. Red, pink or orange are for survivors of rape and sexual assault. Blue and green shirts represent survivors of incest and sexual abuse.