What is the Clothesline Project?
The Clothesline is a visual display that bears witness to the violence against women. During the public display, a clothesline is hung with shirts. Each shirt is decorated to represent a particular woman’s experience, by the survivor herself or by someone who cares about her.
The original project started in Hyannis, Massachusetts in the fall of 1990 with 31 shirts hung. Since that time, projects have begun in communities all across the country and in other countries as well. The purpose of the project is four-fold:
- To bear witness to survivors and victims of domestic violence.
- To help with the healing process for people who have lost a loved one or are survivors.
- To educate, document, and raise society’s awareness of the issue.
- To provide a nationwide network of support, encouragement and information for other communities starting their own Clothesline Projects.