Wednesday, October 17, 2007

T-shirts spread awareness of violence against women

By Sarah Malczynski, student writer

T-shirts hang on clotheslines as part of "The Clothesline Project," which builds awareness of violence against women.

To recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Gender and Sexuality Center (GSC) organized the creation and display of "The Clothesline Project" on Monday, Oct. 15 in the Exhibit Lounge of the Oakland Center.

Through the national Clothesline Project program, survivors of abuse and their loved ones are encouraged to create t-shirts with a design or message that helps them communicate their experience. The shirts are then hung on a public and prominently displayed clothesline in an effort to raise awareness of violence against women and to provide an avenue for healing.

The Clothesline Project was started in Massachusetts in 1990, and has since spread all over the country, advocating support for victims of violence.

In addition to the clothesline of t-shirts, information was available to the OU community in the form of statistics of violence against women, resources for victims of abuse, and upcoming events in Southeast Michigan organized by the Gender and Sexuality Center and the Women’s Issue Forum (WIF). GSC Coordinator Joann Bautti-Roche was on hand to address questions that passers-by had and to encourage students to join organizations that help spread awareness.

“The Clothesline Project honors women survivors as well as victims of intimate violence. Any woman who has experienced such violence, at any time in her life, is encouraged to come forward and design a shirt. Members of our own OU community have already shared their stories and are encouraging others to do the same, to spread the message that violence and abuse will not be tolerated,” Bautti-Roche stated.

The Clothesline Project philosophy draws connections between violence against women and other crimes of discrimination including homophobia and racism. The exhibit was coordinated by the Gender and Sexuality Center, which aims to provide “services and education on issues of gender and sexuality for the Oakland University community through resources, referrals, programs and advocacy.”

For more information about the Clothesline Project, visit the Clothesline Project Web site. 

For more information about the Gender and Sexuality Center, contact Joann Bautti-Roche at jbauttir@oakland.edu or visit the Gender and Sexuality Center Web site.