Students create images condemning violence against women
Clothesline Project: Pete Riley / PHOTO EDITOR
Safe Harbor sponsored the Clothesline Project this week on campus on Cater Lawn.
Students painted T-shirts Tuesday and Wednesday, which were displayed on the Concourse to raise awareness about violence against women.
This year marks Auburn’s third project and was dedicated to Lauren Burk.
Julia James, student advocate for the Clothesline Project, said the project exists to give women an outlet to express themselves about violence against women.
“The Clothesline Project exists to bring awareness to women or victims of sexual assault, murder, political crimes and domestic violence,” she said.
Ashley Eden, a junior in elementary education, volunteered with the project.
“Every shirt gives a tribute to someone,” she said.
The shirts on the clothesline draw attention to violence against women.
“The clothesline reveals the extent of violence against women and children with visual impact similar to the AIDS Quilt and the Vietnam Wall,” according to the project’s Web site.
Each shirt represents a victim or survivor. Different colors represent different things.
For example, white stands for women and children who were killed, and red, pink or orange represents women and children who were raped.
Jessica Holden, a junior in elementary education, volunteered with the project this week.
“It’s a really good project to raise awareness about violence against women,” she said.
The project is a national campaign that was started in 1990 by the Women’s Agenda in Cape Cod, Mass.
The project has grown since the first campaign, which featured 31 shirts.
“Since that first display, the Clothesline Project has grown to over 300 national and international Clothesline Projects with an estimated 35,000 shirts,” according to the Web site of the Clothesline Project.
The project supplies the shirts and paint to anyone who wants to participate.
The clothesline this year displayed shirts created this year, as well as shirts created in the last three years.
The project will conclude tonight at 7 p.m. with Take Back the Night, a rally outside of Thach.
“Speakers, including survivors, will speak about violence against women,” James said.
She said Take Back the Night will be a time of meditation.
“It will be a very reverent occasion to think about what violence is toward women,” she said.
The event will conclude with a march to express different types of issues that will begin on campus and conclude downtown.
In the event of rain, the event will move to Haley 2370.
The project is also sponsored by the Art Department and Women’s Initiatives.
