Clothesline Project

Published in the Bullet, April 26, 2007--

Women in local communities around the nation are hanging their clothes and their pasts out to dry.

At the University of Mary Washington yesterday, the Rappahannock Council on Domestic Violence (RCDV) exposed students to stories of domestic abuse, hanging the broken silence on clotheslines between four trees on Campus Walk.

Rachel Droogsma, adjunct speech professor, helped bring the Clothesline Project to UMW.

"These shirts are all local, made by woman who have experienced domestic abuse," Droogsma said. "They express the women's stories, everything they are feeling."

The RCDV, founded in 1978, is a non-profit, internationally recognized agency, funded by state and federal grants, localities in the district, Rappahannock United Way and individual donations.

In 1990, the Clothesline Project began in Cape Cod, Massachusetts as a coalition of women's groups.

Rachel Carey-Harper, a leader from one of those coalitions, recognized that the numbers dead from the Vietnam War and the numbers killed by domestic violence that year were comparable.

Droogsma said that this comparison was the motivation for the Clothesline Project.

"She saw that and asked 'Where's our wall?'" Droogsma said. "This is that wall."

Stephanie Horii, Support Services Coordinator for RCDV, was very willing to bring the project to the University.

"Hundreds of students have walked by," Horii said. "I see people engaged with the shirts and talking about them as they pass by. It is a great tool to raise awareness."

Droogsma felt that the student response was strong as well.

"They were really surprised by what the shirts had to say," she said. "They were stopping and holding the shirts in their hands, reading what was on them."

Many students, including junior Andrew Bennett, were attracted by the bright colors.

"It was interesting," Bennett said. "It is a good idea because it is important for students to realize what is going on."

The shirts' colors are significant, each representing a certain type of domestic violence.

Since this is Droogsma's final semester, she wanted to have the clothesline project held here before leaving.

"Having just done my dissertation in December, I'd share with students this information and they were wowed by it," Droogsma said. "I wanted to bring this to campus before I left."

Droogsma wrote her dissertation on domestic violence for her graduate degree in women's studies. She interned with the RCDV as part of her graduate studies, and could not help being influenced.

"To look at the women's wisdom is eye-opening," she said. "That was what I wanted to see, that is what all people can learn from."

Horii, who joined the RCDV team six years ago after her friend became victim to domestic abuse, explained the council's educational support programs.

"We offer support programs for women, teenagers, and also for children," Horii said.

Other services include a temporary emergency shelter, 24-hour hotline, information referrals, advocacy assistance, volunteer work, and school and community presentations.

Through these services, Horii said that the RCDV tries to provide an opportunity for victims of domestic violence to separate themselves from hurtful situations.

"We're there to help them to move on, to provide support when they need it," Horii said. "This project is only a sampling of everything we have available."

Judith Parker, English professor, was very appreciative of the messages inculcated by the Clothesline Project, locally and world-wide.

"Around the world, the Clothesline Project is a powerful expression of the perseverance and pain of local people who have experienced violence in their homes," Parker said.

Parker said that the message it relayed to students at UMW was also important.

"Many people in the community are affected, and the project helps us to recognize this, that this is in our midst," Parker said.

Horii reiterated this close proximity.

"Some of these shirts were made yesterday," Horii said. "We also have one sweatshirt hanging up from the very first project. These shirts allow women to express themselves, to break their silence."

The Clothesline Project has 60,000 shirts on display around the world.