Clothesline Project

What is the Clothesline Project?

The Clothesline Project is an interactive visual exhibit created to bring awareness to the issue of sexual violence (sexual assault/dating or domestic violence) and the t-shirts are the stories of those experiences. Each shirt is made by a survivor of violence or by someone who has lost a loved on to violence. This project is meant to be a creative outlet for suvivors to write their stories. The color of each shirt represents a different type of violence. After the shirts have been decorated with their stories or messages of support, they are hung on a clothesline display. The intention of the display is to honor survivors and act as a memorial for victims.

The purpose of the project is to increase awareness of the impact of violence and abuse, to honor a survivor's strength to continue, and to provide another avenue for them to courageously break the silence that often surrounds their experience.

History of the Clothesline Project

The first Clothesline Project originated in Hyannis, Massachusetts, in 1990 when a member of the Cape Cod's Women's Defense Agenda learned that dudring the same time 58,000 soldiers were killed in the Vietnam War, 51,000 U.S women were also killed by the men who claimed to love them.

This statistic motivated the Women's Group to create a program that would speak up and reveal the issue of violence against women. One of the women, Visual Artist Rachel Carey-Harper, thought of hanging color-coded t-shirts on a clothesline in a public place to gain recognition of the issue. This would be the first ever Clothesline Project that would later develop into what it is today.

Content Warning:

The images displayed are the stories of those who have been impacted by violence. Some shirts share details of traumatic experiences, please be aware of your own well-being and take the time process how these images may impact you. Resources are listed on our website here and at the bottom of this page.

Meaning of each color

	BLACK: Someone disabled as the result of an attack or someone assaulted because of a disability
	PURPLE: Someone attacked because of their sexual orientaton
	BLUE or GREEN: Survivor of incest or childhood sexual abuse.
	BROWN or GRAY: Survivors of emotional, spiritual, or verbal abuse
	WHITE: Someone who died because of violence
	RED, PINK, ORANGE: Survivor of rape or childhood sexual abuse.