Penn Violence Prevention hosted the Clothesline Project — a visual representation of interpersonal violence statistics — this week on College Green.
The Clothesline Project — founded in 1990— is a national movement featured at college campuses, community centers, and other public spaces, aiming to honor “women survivors as well as victims of intimate violence.” Penn Violence Prevention's adaptation of The Clothesline Project honors the experiences of all genders, according to Associate Director of Prevention Education and Programming at Penn Violence Prevention Julie Hastings.
Hastings told The Daily Pennsylvanian that the project — which was hosted on April 22 — helped show “survival stories in an anonymous way that was difficult to ignore.”
The Clothesline Project features several t-shirts strung on clotheslines each featuring an individual story or message.
“We had a lot of folks stop and make a shirt too — whether it was supporting their partner or supporting their friend or even just sharing a message of support or their own experience,” Hastings said.
“Every shirt that has been created during our Clothesline Project here at Penn was created by a member of the Penn community — students, faculty, and staff who have been impacted by interpersonal violence," she added.
Penn Violence Prevention showcased the Clothesline Project as a part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month — which takes place in April. Hastings explained that PVP wanted to help bring awareness to the stories of those impacted by violence.
“We wanted a space that is very prominent on campus so that folks can choose whether or not they engage with the material,” she said. “We also want people to witness what has been done on our community and hold those stories of survivors.”
Penn Violence Prevention will also host a community tea time event with the Penn Women's Center on April 25 for people to meet the PVP team and learn about violence prevention efforts on campus.
“It’s really a share anything space,” Hastings explained.
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