A row of T-shirts decorated with painted-on images and sayings were on display at locations in both Morden and Altona the past two weeks.
Behind each colourful shirt was a sobering story—one of survival in the face of sexual assault.
In recognition of April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Genesis House, the regional shelter for the survivors of domestic violence, brought the Clothesline Project to several stops across the region.
“It’s an art installation where people are invited to stop by and see T-shirts that have been created by survivors of sexual assaults,” explains Sophie Gerbrandt, the shelter’s resource development manager. “And people are also invited to make their own T-shirt, whether they’ve been personally impacted or if they know someone who has.”
The first shirts were made by members of Genesis House’s support groups, but the collection has steadily grown.
“We’ve heard from people who have stopped by and participated in the project that it’s felt healing for them. It’s felt liberating,” Gerbrandt shares. “Some people have said they felt some release after they were done with their artwork. So we’re happy to be able to provide that opportunity for people.”
The hope of a display like this is to get the larger community thinking about this issue and recognizing it is happening to people right here and now.
“Things like abuse and assault, they thrive in the darkness,” Gerbrandt stresses. “So if we can have displays like this out on the street on a beautiful sunny day, hopefully it just opens up opportunities for people to disclose abuse, to disclose assault, and not feel alone.”
If you missed the display, you’ll have another opportunity to view a similar installation next month when the shelter’s What Were You Wearing? exhibition makes the rounds.
When survivors of sexual violence share their stories, they’re often asked what they were wearing when it happened, as if their clothing choice makes a difference when it comes to consent.
The display features re-creations of clothing survivors were wearing when they were assaulted. It’s full of everyday clothes—sweatpants and a T-shirt, medical scrubs, a wedding dress, even children’s PJs—that dispel the myth that clothing makes any difference and emphasizes the importance of holding predators accountable for their actions.
“We had some good conversations with folks last year who stopped by and saw the exhibit, which actually sparked us to want to do it again,” Gerbrandt says, noting they have some new looks for the mannequins this year to spark new conversations. A support person will be on hand at each display stop, she notes, as seeing the exhibit can bring up powerful emotions in people, especially fellow survivors.
Check out Genesis House’s social media pages in the weeks ahead to see where the installation will be next.
