DVIP & RVAP is excited to host The Clothesline Project! The Clothesline Project will take place on Tuesday, April 22nd, from 2-6 PM, at Chauncey Swan Park (405 E Washington St, Iowa City, IA 52240).
This event is a visual display of violence statistics that often go ignored. Each shirt is made by a survivor of violence or by someone who has lost a loved one to violence.
The purpose of The Clothesline Project is fourfold:
- To increase awareness of the impact of violence and abuse
- To help with the healing process of those who have lost loved ones to violence
- To provide another avenue for survivors to courageously break the silence that often surrounds their experience
- To provide a nationwide network of support, encouragement, and information for individuals and communities that have been impacted by violence
Creating A Shirt
Every shirt on display was made by someone in our eight-county service region. Assault and abuse are a problem everywhere – even in our own communities. We will have a shirt-making station present at the event. Feel free to use this as an opportunity to tell your own story, or use this as an opportunity to raise awareness using statistics, like the ones below.
- Over 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the US have experienced physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
- Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have been raped in their lifetime.
- 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys is a victim of child sexual abuse in their lifetime.
- People with disabilities are twice as likely to experience violent victimization than non-disabled people.
Shirt Colors
The color of each shirt represents a different type of violence.
- White: Someone who died because of violence
- Yellow/brown: Survivor of domestic violence
- Pink/red: Survivor of sexual assault
- Blue/green: Survivor of childhood sexual abuse
- Purple: LGBTQ+ victims of violence
- Orange: People with disabilities who have experienced violence
- Black: People in the immediate community who have experienced violence
Audio
During the exhibit, participants hear three distinct sounds. Each represents the frequency of certain statistics.
- The gong is struck to indicate a person being physically abused by an intimate partner. The gong will sound every 10 to 12 seconds.
- The whistle is blown to indicate a sexual assault being reported. Keep in mind that many sexual assaults are never reported. The whistle will sound every minute.
- The bell is rung to indicate a person dying in a violent attack. The bell will sound every 4 minutes.
DVIP & RVAP provides free and confidential support for people affected by sexual violence, which includes hospital and justice system support, peer counseling, support groups, emergency shelter, and safety planning. If you have questions or need help, call our 24/7 hotline: 1-800-228-1625.
