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What is the Clothesline Project?

It is a visual display that bears witness to the violence against women. Shirts, decorated by survivors of abuse, are hung on a clothesline and displayed at local events and domestic violence awareness forums.

What is the purpose of the Clothesline Project?

1. To bear witness to women who have suffered abuse

2. To aid in the healing process for survivors and for people who have lost a loved one to abuse

3. To educate and raise awareness of the extent of violence against women

4. To provide a network of support, encouragement, and information for communities starting their own Clothesline Project

What does the clothesline look like?

Shirts are decorated then hung on "the line" at our Clothesline Project events. Assigning specific colors to different categories of abuse intensifies the experience of viewing the shirts by giving an unmistakable visual of an abstract notion.

We provide plain t-shirts to victims of domestic violence and allow them to use the shirts as a canvas to express their feelings about the abuse they have endured. We then display the shirts, hung side by side on a clothesline, at HUGS events and domestic violence awareness forums. Our annual Walk for Family Safety, held each October, displays these profound pieces of art. Each shirt is a unique example of the emotions experienced by victims of abuse. The shirts range from poetic prose to poignant paintings.

The Clothesline Project thereby serves a dual purpose. Viewing the clothesline is informative and powerful. And many people who have created a shirt for the project say the experience allowed them some relief and was an important step in their healing process.

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