“I’ll never forget you made me feel anything less than a child of God,” were the words written in black sharpie on a shirt displayed in the Utah Valley University ballroom. However, this shirt was one of the many 100 plus shirts that were pinned up on clotheslines on behalf of The Clothesline Project to raise awareness of all forms of abuse.
The 100 plus shirts were written by students and those within the UVU community. Each shirt is a testimony of a survivors personal experience with abuse. The shirts vary in color, each color representing a different form of abuse. Some shirts show anger, despair, and sadness, while others are optimistic and hopeful.
“This allows survivors to show their story in their own personal way,” states The Clothesline Project. “The shirts in the Clothesline Project are not censored.”
The experience of going to the Clothesline Project could be compared to attending an art gallery. The ballroom had a continuous flow of people who had come to view the shirts. As people walked the rows of shirts, they would stop, stare, and ponder on the testimonies written by victims on the shirts.
While in the ballroom, sounds would play as a reminder of violence in the United States. Every 12 seconds a gong would indicate that a women reported being assaulted. Every two minutes a whistle would sound, indicating that a sexual assault was being reported.
Survivors are provided a secluded area in the back of the ballroom where they can go and write out their testimonies. They then can either let a volunteer hang up the shirt for them, or can walk out and hang up their shirt in front of everyone.
I took photos of some of the shirts on display. One of the shirts pictured in this article is mine. Abuse happens, please tell someone.
Know that you are not alone. Know that someone out there is fighting the same battle.Know that this problem is a disease and it will rot you to the core of the soul if you don’t address it. Know that not only you, but that everyone involved with the act of abuse is experiencing a deep emotion of numbness or pain. Know that there is hope. Know that you can feel happiness again.
If you need to talk, know that to some degree I understand what you are going through. I assure you that many will be supportive in your cause to overcome your pain and will help on your way to find true happiness.
"I thought you told me we were in love! At 14 I just didn't know. Love isn't: <3 - Shooting me up w/drugs <3 - Raping me <3 - Ruining me. Now I'm forever haunted."
"I am 1 of 4...1 of 4 every 4 woman are abused. I never thought it would happen to me..it did. It's easy to say no to a stranger. For me it was my best friends dad. These problems are real. Silence is your enemy. Talking is your medicine."
"I am sick of you guys who want me because of my body. You make me feel worthless and depressed. I have been raped and taken advantaged of by those who said they cared. I know there are good men out there...where are you?"
"Some things sorry just doesn't fix."
"To everyone who's ever been raped or sexually abused, be strong, open up, know it hard, but it helps forgive if you can, but never forget. The people who did those things to you are wrong. It's not your fault. Love yourself."
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