Clothesline Project to promote awareness
NEWTON — White T-shirts written with messages of hope, pain and statistics swung in the wind as part of the Clothesline Project to raise awareness of sexual assault, child abuse and crime victim rights.
April marks National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Crime Victim Rights Week. Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Intervention Services (DASI), the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office, Newton Police Department and Ginnie's House Children's Advocacy Center partnered together to present The Clothesline Project on April 15 in Newton Town Square.
The shirts have been a project in the making for 18 years. Some were created by survivors of sexual abuse. Some shirts were a collection of college student’s research and raising awareness of sexual violence on campuses. Others were created by family and friends who know a survivor of sexual abuse.
Gwen Federico, associate director of DASI says the topic is “such a silent issue. Survivors aren’t aware of how widespread it really is.”
The event was open and attended by the public. Also in attendance were survivors, Newton Police officers and Chief.
The ceremony was opened by speaker Jamie Bernard, executive Director of Dasi. Prosecutor Francis Koch, County freeholder Gail Phoebus and Dr. Allison Blake then spoke on the topics of sexual and domestic abuse.
Dr. Blake presented a proclamation from Governor Chris Christie’s office acknowledging April as sexual assault awareness month. Pat Lynch, Coordinator of the sexual assault response team for Dasi stated that they are trying to educate victims on what consent is.
“Many people don’t know and that it’s not their fault,” stated Lynch.
Dasi is a free supportive, advocacy center for anyone who may have been sexual assaulted or wants more information on the topic.
Virginia “Ginny” Littell, Founder and Chair of the Board of Ginnie’s house, was also present at the clothesline project. Ginnie’s house is an advocacy center for abused children. Both organization’s — located in Newton — worked together and sponsored this event.