Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["LaDue, Lee E." <>]

Angela:

 

I was just reading your post about the clothesline project.  It reminds
me of what happened at Brown University many years ago when women were
writing the names of the perpetrators on the wall of the bathrooms.   It
was quite the controversy and if my memory is correct - the people doing
it - were doing it as a protest and knew they could face consequences if
they were caught doing it.

 

For our Clothesline project, we developed a brochure with some suggested
guidelines for both the t-shirt maker and the clothesline viewers.  In
the first ,we do advise against using a full name of a perpetrator
because it could create problems for the victim.  I think it is only
fair to let the survivors know that using a full name could create some
difficult circumstances - then if they still choose to do it, they do it
with full knowledge.  So I think as an advisor to the group that
maintains our clothesline project, we do have an obligation to inform
because sometimes survivor's don't realize it could hurt them -
particularly legally.  

 

*                     Some people want to write the name of their
perpetrator(s) on the t-shirt as a way of ending their silence and
publicly acknowledging what this person did to them. We advise that you
only use a first name and then only if it won't easily identify the
perpetrator. Although we do not have a desire to protect perpetrators,
we do want to protect the survivors. Writing last names in certain
situations can create an unsafe situation for the survivor. Please
carefully consider your own situation before you decide to use names.

 

In the second part, we have a message to viewers about anger being an
important part of the healing process and the t-shirts often represent
an expression of that anger and we ask that viewers honor that part of
the healing by not being offended by the strong language that is often
used.  That has definitely helped cut down on the number of complaints
and letters to the editors about the inappropriate language.

 

Some viewers are shocked at the strong language and anger that is
expressed on the t-shirts. Realize that survivors may design a t-shirt
at various stages of healing. Anger is an appropriate and necessary
emotion for survivors to experience to facilitate healing And to be able
to move on in their lives. They have the right to be angry. You, as the
viewer, assist in their healing process by bearing witness to their
stories and various emotions. We ask that viewers be mindful of their
responsibility and role in the healing process and be respectful of the
experiences and emotions these shirts represent.

 

 

Lee LaDue

Asst. Director/Coordinator - Gender Violence 

Prevention Program

St. Cloud State University Women's Center

720 4th Ave. S.

St. Cloud, MN 56301

320/308-3995