Clothesline Project comes to SouthArk to raise awareness of domestic violence

Students and faculty at South Arkansas Community College were greeted yesterday with T-shirts hanging on a clothesline telling stories of domestic violence.

The exhibit, known as the Clothesline Project is put together by the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence, has been making its way around the state with stops at South Arkansas University and University of Central Arkansas during October. It is designed to tell the stories of people who have dealt with domestic violence by showing stories through illustrations, arts or words on T-shirts that are then hung on a clothesline to be displayed.

Billie Gulley, a student at SouthArk studying radiologic technology, said the story that stuck out to her the most was one of a man in Crossett who ended up committing suicide after killing his three kids, leaving his wife alone. She said she also saw one that talked about a child less than a year old being killed due to domestic violence and other stories of suicide by the victims of domestic violence.

“I’m actually a victim of domestic violence, I was in a six year relationship with someone. It wasn’t always physical, it was mental and control. He wouldn’t let me have a car or job, that kind of thing. You don’t really think about how serious it can be,” Gulley said. “Having that visual there, having the clothesline

and the T-shirts, having it set up and putting the stories there, it really brings it to light. You actually get to see the stories, the impact that it has on people and families. It is, it’s crazy. Even for me, reading the stories, it’s sad, it does hurt you. But getting to see it, reading the stories, and even seeing the kids who were affected by that, it definitely is an eye opener. Even if I hadn’t gone through that, you could level with the devastation that it does cause on people.”

The exhibit was scheduled to be open from 2:30-4 p.m. but was taken down early due to lack of “turnout from the public. It was viewable to all of our students/ employees throughout the morning and early afternoon” said Heath Waldrop, SouthArk director of marketing and public relations.

Michael Shine may be reached at 870-862-6611 or mshine@eldoradonews.com. Follow him on Twitter and like him on Facebook @MichaelAZShine for updates on Union County school news.

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Contributed Photo Clothesline Project: Christy Wilson, instructor at South Arkansas Community College, was one of the people to attend the Clothesline exhibit at the SouthArk gym yesterday. The exhibit, put together by the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence, is designed to tell the stories of people who have dealt with domestic violence by showing stories through drawings, arts or words on T-shirts that are then hung on a clothesline to be displayed.