Remembering Victims, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

  • Published
  • By Karen Bartholomeo
  • 17th Medical Group
GOODFELLOW AFB,Texas --  T-shirts, simple t-shirts. Who among us doesn't have dozens of them in drawers or on shelves? Thanks to a group of women from Cape Cod, Mass., the Goodfellow AFB community may never look at t-shirts the same way again. 

The Clothesline Project began in 1990 in Hyannis, Mass., with a group of 30 women contributing shirts depicting their thoughts and emotions regarding their experiences as victims of violence. This small core of women found a way to take the staggering, mind-numbing statistics on violence against women, children and men. They turned them into a provocative, in-your-face, educational and healing tool. As a result of their efforts, the Clothesline Project began and has become a nationwide movement aimed at raising awareness of combating all types of violence in the community. 

"Doing the laundry has always been considered "women's work," and in the days of close-knit neighborhoods, women often exchanged information over backyard fences while hanging their clothes out to dry," says Carol A. Chichetto of East Dennis, Mass. "The concept was simple -- let each woman, child and man tell their own story in their own unique way, and hang it out for all to see. The shirts hang side by side to "Break the Silence" and bear witness to domestic violence and is a symbolic way of airing society's dirty laundry." 

A collaboration between family advocacy, civil engineer, the commissary and the base exchange has resulted in dozens of shirts hanging like banners from pillar to pillar in front of the BX and the commissary making their messages even more visible: 

"Teach me to cry and when I have learned to cry, teach me to dance so that I may dance in the puddle of my tears." "The only time you bought me new glasses was when you punched me in the face." "...raped me, beat me, and stole my pride and faith, and made me afraid ... BUT MY SPIRIT ROSE UP and I found courage and hope. I DID NOT DIE!" "You can batter my body but you can't touch my spirit." 

The emotions expressed on the shirts are intense and often disturbing; however, many are also full of hope and healing. Each shirt represents one survivor's feelings at a particular time. The event is an eye-opening experience as one realizes the gravity of domestic abuse in our community. According to the Texas Council on Family Violence, 11 children in Texas were killed in 2008 because of domestic violence, 136 women were killed and 96 children lost parents due to domestic violence in 2007. 

Locally, of the more than 3,700 domestic violence calls made to the San Angelo Police Department, over 1,500 resulted in court cases according to the New Bridges Shelter, San Angelo, Texas. To put it in an even larger context, during the Vietnam War, 58,000 men were killed. In the same period of time, 51,000 women were killed in the United States by their supposed loved ones.

 It is important that members of our community understand that dating and domestic violence can happen to anyone. It impacts a person's ability to socialize, work or attend school, and it can greatly impact a person's health along with their mental and emotional wellbeing. 

These are the key messages of the Clothesline Project: 
· It helps in the healing process for survivors of violence and for families and friends. The healing process begins when ink touches cloth and  when the survivor or family and friends of a victim of domestic violence designs a shirt telling their story in words and pictures. When the shirt is hung on the line for all to read their story, the healing process continues and we understand the meaning of empowerment.
 · To bear witness to the survivors and victims of violence. When we accept a woman, child or man's shirt, we accept the responsibility to display the shirts to "Break the Silence". In that display, with shirts hanging side by side, we bear witness to the survivors and victims'.
 · To educate, document, raise society's awareness and speak out about violence against women, child and men. One only has to attend one on the displays and observe as viewers come to look at the shirts. A colorful shirt attracts the viewer. They quickly approach the shirt to read the words. They then quickly look around and read the next shirt. They inhale and exhale and then the pace slows. They walk slowly from one to another, reading, thinking, believing and being challenged to take a stand. When the shirts are displayed, we educate and raise awareness. 
· To bear witness to a woman's courage to survive. Each shirt provides a window into the life of a woman survivor, often telling the viewer of her pain, sadness, despair, terror, lack of help, courage, strength and triumph.

 If you would like more information, know someone, or you yourself is experiencing domestic violence there is hope, there is help available, we care. Please contact the Family Advocacy Office at 654-3122. We have trained providers who can and want to help you.