The month of October is recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence is an ongoing issue that thrives on the silence of those affected. This observance gives communities the chance to become aware of the lasting effects domestic violence has had on families right in our backyard.
Safe Homes of Orange County hosts The Clothesline Project at several locations during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The project includes a display of T-shirts with messages and illustrations designed by survivors of intimate partner and sexual violence, along with messages by friends and by family of victims. On Wednesday, October 11, 2017, Safe Homes will bring this display to Cornerstone Family Healthcare’s Newburgh location at 147 Lake Street.
According to the project’s website, The Clothesline Project originated in Hyannis, Massachusetts in 1990 when members of Cape Cod’s Women’s Defense Agenda learned that during the same period 58,000 soldiers were killed in the Vietnam War, 51,000 U.S. women were killed by the men who claimed to love them. The Clothesline is made up of T-shirts created by survivors of violence, or created in honor of someone who has experienced violence. It is a powerful witness of the violence many live with.
The mission of The Clothesline Project is to educate students and the community that violence is a problem everywhere, help is available, and that there is hope and a path to healing.
The Clothesline Project provides evidence that incest, domestic violence, and sexual violence exists in our communities. It is a visual reminder of statistics that we often ignore. It gives a voice to those who have been forcibly silenced. Hopefully, it stirs us to action.
The public must be informed about violence in order to act and prevent it. Information on how to recognize and prevent violence, reach out to survivors, and make a difference in the community is provided at each display of the project. Most importantly, this project provides survivors with a venue to courageously break the silence and make us aware.
Come “walk the line” and help to increase awareness about the impact of violence in people’s lives, celebrate survivors’ strengths, and break the silence that often surrounds violence.
Cornerstone Family Healthcare and Safe Homes of Orange County offer services to help those who have been affected by domestic violence. If you or a loved one needs immediate assistance please call the 24-hour crisis hotline at 845-562-5340.
For more information about resources and services, please visit www.wordpress-214991-667688.cloudwaysapps.com or www.safehomesorangecounty.org.
