Fearless! unveils annual clothesline project for start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month
The project provides survivors an opportunity to express their feelings and symbolizes a time when victims spoke to others while hanging clothes to dry.
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Walk the line outside of the Orange County government building in Goshen and you’ll see hundreds of T-shirts with emotional messages from survivors of domestic abuse. One has “Love doesn’t mean you can hit me” written on it; another reads, “Find the courage to heal.”
More than 600 individually made shirts hung for the first time this year on Friday outside of the building for Fearless!’ annual Clothesline Project for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The project provides survivors an opportunity to express their feelings and symbolizes a time when victims spoke to others while hanging clothes to dry.
“It’s a visual representation made by victims and survivors and loved ones over the years on the impact of violence in their lives,” says Fearless! director Kellyann Kostyal-Larrier.
The nonprofit agency helps victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Orange and Sullivan counties. The agency says 36 women have been killed in domestic violence incidents in both counties since 2013.
“I think it’s really important to center victims and survivors,” says Kostyal-Larrier. “Ultimately, that’s why we’re here: collectively working to hold each other accountable, hold the system accountable, ensuring communities are wrapping our arms around victims and survivors, and ensuring they have the pathway to heal.”
The traveling display will be featured next at Cornerstone Healthcare on Lake Street in Newburgh on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be at four other locations in Orange and Sullivan Counties this month.
Fearless! has helped 7,220 adult and child victims of domestic violence and provided supportive counseling services to more than 20,000 people so far this year.
If you or someone you know needs help for domestic violence, call Fearless! at 845-562-4340, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE.
