Violence Against Women:The Clothesline Project Video
As promised, The Clothesline Project Final Video from Marley P on Vimeo, part 2 of a collaborative final project for Womens Studies 30: Women and Pop Culture.
Created by: Rachel O, Maley P, Allison R. Stephanie G and Carolyn B.
Transcript after the jump. Thanks to Carolyn B for her gift of words and to all members of a group that inspired a community.
A curse of silence is plaguing America. The staggering statistics on violence toward women are incongruous with the ‘reality’ perpetuated by our mass media. Rape and domestic violence are not fanciful abstractions that occur far, far away at a crime scene in Miami or in the fantasy landscape of a video game. Every 2 minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted. If you were to base your renderings of these events on the media’s coverage, you would most likely see a glamorized version of the truth, a play on one of the many damaging motifs that turn rape and abuse into a caricature, a ludicrous exaggeration of the abuser and abused. He would be a sociopathic stranger hiding in the bushes. She would be a naive, conventionally attractive women, whose sex appeal makes her ripe for pillaging. The scene would play out with the swagger of a videogame or slick action movie. Gratuitousness, gore, and victimization abound, creating at times a burlesque of sex and violence that is meant more to shock and titillate than to educate, empower and help the cause to eradicate abuse.
The truth of the matter is that battery is the number one cause of injury to women in the United States. It accounts for more injuries to women than stranger rapes, muggings and car accidents combined. When rape is involved, approximately 2/3 of rapes are committed by someone known to the victim, and 38% of rapists are a friend or acquaintance of the victim. These are not strangers lurking in parking lots and hiding in our bushes. These are our fathers, boyfriends, family members, friends, co-workers and acquaintances.
When looking to the mass media for answers, we were bombarded by a cavalcade of images that reinforced the glamorized union of sex and violence in our culture, without paying respect to the shocking truth of violence toward women in our society. The most poignant example of brutalization packaged as entertainment came from an episode of Tyra Banks’ reality show “America’s Next Top Model.” Tyra’s models had the daunting assignment of ‘playing dead’ for a high fashion photo spread of ‘sexy’ murder victims. Black and blue limbs were splayed across the screen, models lounging languidly in pools of blood were criticized for not looking “dead enough,” and all the while the photographer was beside himself with giddy glee.
This video left all of us aghast with shock and disgust. However, the trend of using sex, gore and violence to sell high end products is nothing new in the vapid world of high fashion. Designers like Jimmy Choo, Louis Vitton and Duncan Quinn are all guilty of it. These types of advertising campaigns have become so normative in our culture, that most consumers unconsciously drink them in without batting an eyelash. Perhaps what is even more disturbing is that one in three women that view these advertisements will be victims of abuse. And, unfortunately, their stories will not be fun and games like these images suggest.
The power of the Clothesline Project lies in its ability to free these stories from our backyards, to unite communities through shared experience and to enlighten those living in the dark. T shirts blazed on the line like an infernal scarlet letter symbolizing America’s neglect of an issue that touches so many of us. Passerby’s jaws dropped to the ground, and women and men who were compelled to take part in the project engaged in dialogue about the astonishing prevalence of violence amongst our peers at Santa Monica College. Survivors of abuse found both kinship and an empowering medium for their messages. There was a collective unraveling of the shroud that cloaks and oppresses our stories of abuse, giving a new face to violence- one that isn’t looming on our television screens, magazine pages and video games in stiletto heels, painted with cartoonish bruises and a flirtatious pout.
It is more important than ever to break the silence surrounding violence against women, and to shatter the stereotypes that propagate ignorance and perpetuate danger. Along with the Clothesline Project, organizations like the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, and VDAY: A global Movement to End Violence Against Women and Girls are raising consciousness and funds to end rape, incest, battery, genital mutilation and sexual slavery globally. These organizations and YOUR voice are the only tools we have to undo the noxious stereotypes propagated by the mass media. Since the movement to end violence against women solidified in 1993, sexual assault has fallen by almost 60%. In other words, if not for the historic gains we’ve made in the last decade, an additional 2,546,420 Americans would have become victims of sexual violence. That statistic serves as a battle cry for us to break the silence, share our stories and turn them into a vehicle for chan
thank you for doing this. breaking the silence saved my life as did organizations like vday and rainn. this is wonderful, and powerful, and incredibly valuable to the healing of survivors.
Comment by sarit — June 3, 2010 @ 10:02 am
Love this! So powerful and they did such an awesome job.
Comment by Kristin — June 3, 2010 @ 7:58 pm
Very touching. Changed the way that I think. One think that stood out to me was, “these are not strangers lurking in parking lots and hiding in our bushes. These are our fathers, boyfriends, family members, friends, co-workers and acquaintances.” This is a scary concept because we are taught to see the best in people but in the end you never know what people are capable of…
Comment by Ariel Kasheri (wmst10scholars) — November 30, 2010 @ 9:32 am
This is very inspiring and motivates me to incorporate this in a visual thearte art project i will be producing over summer. Such a powerful message is needed to be heard so violence can end.
Comment by melani dg — May 16, 2011 @ 3:46 pm
I agree with the girl at the end of the video that said that this should be done every year until it gets bigger and bigger and there isn’t even enough room for shirts anymore. I know I saw it again this year and I am grateful. I think they should line the outside of the school with shirts as well so that everyone passing by Pico Blvd. can get the message too, so that it’s not just limited to students. I know a lot of people who have experienced domestic violence, myself included, and I was blamed for it and called a liar and didn’t know what to do. I didn’t have the education I needed at the time and went to the wrong people to help me. We need to put this in the public’s faces so that it’s more out there and less hush-hush. I feel like most women don’t know what to do in these situations and blame themselves.
Also, the ANTM video made me sick. There were a lot of things I wanted to scream about, but I’ll only mention one here. The fact that Jay (I believe that’s his name) was upset with the one model because she wasn’t focused on the shoot since her FRIEND JUST DIED was complete bs. I couldn’t believe anyone could be that insensitive. That she even had to participate in the shoot was cruel and messed up.
Comment by Bianca Balanchi (WS30) — November 21, 2011 @ 2:39 pm
After watching this video, I can definitely see the effort that these girls are putting in to raise awareness for violence against women. I can say that i agree 100 percent and will back everything that these women have for this particular issue. As a student of Santa Monica College I have seen this event take place and have seen the awareness that it raises around the school. And it’s not just women who are involved in this event, when you walk around the school during this you can definitely see a large percentage of the male population participating and doing what they can to address this issue. I believe that it definitely starts on a smaller scale and will then begin to grow exponentially as more and more people become involved.
Comment by Eleazar Capuz — January 31, 2012 @ 10:19 pm
I am so thankful for and proud of this generation’s informed and extremely bright young people who are taking action and spreading vital messages on such incredibly important issues such as domestic violence. We have all been affected by violence against women to some extent, whether we have been a victim to it, have witnessed it, or know someone who has been abused. It is our responsibility as a whole to continue to get the message out there that it is not okay to hurt someone whether it be physically or psychologically. If we continue to lift the shame from those who are abused they will be less afraid to get help and walk away.
Comment by Willemina v. — February 1, 2012 @ 11:31 am
Violence against women is highly unacceptable in my opinion. The clothesline project at Santa Monica College was a good idea and very interesting because it stood out for me and also it was powerful watching the video. In society we need to be very aware of what is going on with the physical abuse of women, therefore we need to speak out and don’t hold back of constant abuse. No matter how hard we try to protect abused women by passing laws, it is still the single most common cause of injury to women. Many women are in abusive situations that they cannot get away from because of fear, or just because they think that they intimidate the abuser.
Comment by Tiffany M — February 1, 2012 @ 2:05 pm
I very much support this project, and i think it should for sure be held once every semester, to bring more awareness to more people.
I’ve noticed that whenever we get close to the clothesline project,an email is sent out from SMC police department to report a crime near campus.
We should have this project take place once every semester, for both new students that we get each semester and for the older students whom haven’t been influenced yet.
Comment by MATAN P — February 3, 2012 @ 8:17 am
The Clothesline project is a great idea to inform and aware others of the assaults many women go through. Can you imagine that every 2 minutes a woman is being assaulted? Thats a very horrible fact to know! I think everyone should watch the VDAY film. It’s very touching and we hear stories of different women in different cultures and how they have gone through the same thing. This film is perfect to influence people to get up and do help these victims.
Comment by Kammira B — February 4, 2012 @ 2:46 pm
I was impressed when I saw the clothesline project in class. And was even more impressed that someone from SMC started this project. I was surprised because it is a cause reachable for the students and women in Professor Klein’s Women’s Studies class. This is a perfect opportunity to reach out to those people who do not know about what is going on with gender socialization and how women are mistreated in everyday situations
Comment by Gabriel Y. — February 5, 2012 @ 11:16 am
I think every school should make Clothesline Project because its a great way for many people to realize and open up their eyes about the violence that women go through or have gone. Not only should they be shown and talked about in schools but all over the community. Their are so many people unaware of the violence that goes on that its time that those who have been abused speak out and tell their story and help prevent this from happening to others.
Comment by Guadalupe Y — February 5, 2012 @ 12:06 pm
The Clothesline Project is brilliant! And thanks to the group of women who put together the video. Had I not seem it, I quite possibly might never have known about the project. As a victim of rape twice, I fall under the “2/3 percentage of rapes committed by someone we know.“ The first time was date rape. The second time was a fellow employee. I kept quiet about the date rape because I was young, felt stupid, embarrassed, dirty, afraid, and believed it was somehow my fault.
The second time I didn’t fair much better. I did report the rape, first to my fiance, then to my boss. My fiance’s first reaction was to grab a gun and go after the perp. But latching onto his arm and falling to the floor, I held on as he drag me along, heading for the door, all the while I begged him not to kill the guy. I knew it would be my fiance who would end up in jail. When I told my boss, he treated me like the rape had been my fault. I ended up quitting my job, took him to court, and eventually his business was closed down. It was of little consolation.
The Clothesline Project gives those who have been raped a place to heal, to know they are not alone, and that by speaking out and sharing their pain, they open the door for others, letting them know there is hope for all who have endured this hell. Giving voice to this epidemic of abusive violence nationwide sends a powerful message to police, local, state and federal governments – this must stop. We are outraged, it will no longer be tolerated, and we will not rest until this injustice is reversed, the guilty are severely punished, and the victims are no longer blamed.
Comment by Suzy D — February 5, 2012 @ 4:12 pm
Nothing makes me more angry then to know that everywhere around the world, their is women being physically, emotionally, and verbally assaulted by either a person they know or a stranger and still, their is not much being done to end this. I have to admit that when I saw the clothesline project around my school campus -SMC- I had no idea what it meant. I went around reading the shirts that were hanged around campus and it clicked to me. This was a project about violence against women, and I thought it was amazing to be able to read the points of view people had or better yet, speaking up for women that are suffering any type of violence. VDAY is definately a day that everyone should know about and that should be considered in name of all those defenceless women that are suffering violence in their lives.
Comment by Yesenia O — February 5, 2012 @ 5:41 pm
This video put tears to my eyes. Violence against woman is completely unacceptable and what’s sad is its happening every single day. It makes me sad to see that some woman cant even escape the abuse that they are in. Then to see these ads that use sex and violence to sell a product really disturbs me. If only they knew the hardship and heartache that went into it then maybe they wouldn’t take violence as an approach to sell a product.
The power of the Clothesline Project is nice to see cause it gives woman a voice and a chance to speak out to what has or what they are going through.
Comment by Lori H — February 5, 2012 @ 5:51 pm
Like Bianca (comment below) I found the clip from ANTM extremely disturbing. That asking women to portray murder victims could be part of “family entertainment” says a lot about our culture. One of the reasons I don’t watch reality television is because I find the depiction of women in such shows to be extremely demeaning. I used to enjoy Amazing Race until one season included a husband and wife team in which the husband continually berated and humiliated his wife. Interestingly the couple’s “real” job was as professional wrestling team. I think that says it all {for those who don’t understand this connection please see any video by Jackson Katz but esp. Wrestling with Manhood) I think people who justify watching such shows with an embarrassed smile saying “It’s just mindless entertainment I watch to unwind and turn my mind off and zone out for awhile. It’s harmless” don’t realize that in such a state, with your mind “turned off and zoning out” you are most vulnerable to the desensitizing effects of such “entertainment.”
I thought the Clothesline project was awesome. It got in people’s face and forced them to be aware of this issue which is so often denied, and I think it must have affected even those who didn’t stop and participate just because it was so visual. I found the one woman’s comment that she waited four years to report the instance in which she was abused a very sad comment on the fact that after all of these years of raising awareness of the issue of domestic violence, women are still afraid of the repercussions of reporting incidents.
This project called to my mind a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.: “In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.” This project was a definite attempt to end the silence about this powerful social problem.
Comment by SandraR — February 5, 2012 @ 9:26 pm
This video is crazy because it is not random men who are doing to abuse, but they are friends, boyfriends, fathers, uncles, or cousins. It is so strange to think that a portion of people who are abused, are abused by people they know. That is something that should change, and people need to realize why they abuse in the first place.
Comment by Yasmin M — February 6, 2012 @ 8:26 am
This video was amazing. Thanks to Marley and her partner I felt so encouraged to write this. I also have to say that I always saw Tyra’s ideas for ANTM have been interesting, but never to the point where I thought “NO WAY” and wanted to say that modeling and real life is different. But, reality is, is that everything is inner connected and there is no way for me to justify this any more. I was so disappointed that someone like Tyra would even approve of this to be done on her show. She may say that it wasn’t to mean more than just modeling, but it has. The message of the challenge spoke loud and clear to me. That even in high fashion modeling, even the most beautiful stunning women don’t have a voice. Pictures present them with no expressions, skinny bodies, and no personality. I’d say it’ll be a lot cheaper to just fit designer clothes on barbie dolls and take pictures. But as for the challenge on ANTM, it showed me that it’s totally acceptable in high fashion careers for women to look like they’re dead, to act like they’re dead, and want to beat others in trying to look as if they’re really dead. Is this really a competition you want to win in real life??? Models are dying to be the models they’re trying to become. LITERALLY. It may send different messages but for me it showed me that if women are involved in looking like they’re dead but still have hot stilletos on then it’s fine and we see it as just a picture. NO IT ISN’T.
Women should be respected with a voice who encourage one another to step up and be their real powerful selves and not listen to demands to loosen one leg and hang it over a bungalow…
Comment by Crystina K — February 6, 2012 @ 11:02 am
This was AMAZING. I always appreciate it when videos and organizations are created to make society aware of the horrible things women are facing. My mother was a victim of domestic violence. The father of her first daughter (my oldest sister) abused her so much that its a miracle she’s alive today. She had to make a decision and she chose life and her child vs him and walked away. It was one the scariest things she had to do because you never know what he will do to you after you have ran away. When she experienced domestic violence, their was not as many support groups and organizations designed for women who were in abusive relationships. It pains my heart to know that women are being raped and abused. I do not understand where men gain the courage or nerve to use their hands in a violent way toward women. The clothesline project is a great way to bring awareness. Thank you so much for creating this video and for the clothesline project and I hope that thousands of women lives are saved.
Comment by Takisha B. — March 9, 2012 @ 10:32 pm
I hope Top Model came to realize what a terrible idea their “dead model” shoot was. There is nothing okay with glorifying victims of abuse. There are people all over this world who I’m sure do not appreciate that show for basically mocking how serious of any issue sexual and physical abuse is for women. As for the clothesline project, I remember that project from the community college that I went to and it was incredibly inspirational. The first time I went to it was for one of my Sociology classes and the second time the next year was for my Women’s Health class, and each time I was touched emotionally by the project. My mom was a victim of physical violence as was my step mom and as a child I had to witness violence over and over again. That part of my family background and my childhood is not something I talk about often or something that many people know about me either. I think most people feel the need to keep it inside in fear of being isolated and feeling alone in the matter. When I went to the clothesline project and started to read the shirts and saw what it was about, I nearly went into tears. It was like reading inside of a diary. The project is so personal and so intense, you can’t help but feel for what these people have gone through. I know that when you’re a victim of physical or sexual abuse you can feel like you are the only one and feel like no one else would understand what it was like, but a project like this unites people. I remember reading some of these personal stories people had written and feeling completely connected to this person even though I didn’t even know who wrote it. The clothesline project showed me that I wasn’t alone and that it is healthy to talk about those types of events whether you are really upset about it, embarrassed, or if you feel at peace with it. I hope the clothesline project has continued at the community college that I went to. I know that I probably wasn’t the only person who was really touched by the project and maybe seeing other people share their stories will give some people courage to report a sexual or physical attack that has happened to them if they had not already reported it. -D.O.
Comment by Destiny O — March 15, 2012 @ 10:23 pm
First I just have to say that guy on Top Model is ridiculous. I can not believe what he said to that model who’s friend recently died. Here she is trying to glorify death while thinking about how in reality her friend died. What he said to her just totally disgusted me. I don’t understand why they would even do this on that show. I don’t even want to support these clothing companies now. I really like what the Clothesline Project is doing. I think it is a great idea and will help educate people on these serious issues.
Comment by Jessica Seigel — April 1, 2012 @ 10:58 pm
Maybe my personality is to serious but I don’t find this funny at all, and this young guy telling these women, how they going to be portraying a dead female victim find it something to laugh about, but no one sees the reality in that. The message of women models posing such acts is being sent to say, “it’s okay to commit violence against women”. I think the media enjoys belittling women and showing them in violent abuse poses throughout magazines because it keeps them in the trenches of being inferior to men. Being inferior to men would give no cause to empower women or to educate women, because if it did who would pose to be the dead girl or the girl who can carry a black eye?
Comment by Linda Segura — April 3, 2012 @ 11:54 am
I love this idea of exposing people to the unknown while reassuring the victims that they do have a voice and they are supported. We did this same t-shirt labeling at my community college and releasing just three words empowered me and allowed me to feel more free. There is absolutely no reason for violence against children, women, or men. No one has the right to put their hands on you without permission. It’s important to teach our children that we need to express ourselves with our words and not with our hands. It is important to express our feelings, but not when to do so would injure others or yourself.
Comment by Salina G — April 4, 2012 @ 9:42 pm
Unfortunately, many are unaware of how the media plays a huge role in violence against women. They portray women in a variety of ways comparing them to animals, objects, fantasizing them in being dead or other horrendous manners. I had recently read a book where they did a study on young men and found that most of them did not see forcing women to have sex as rape or using some aggressiveness, however, they also mentioned they would not do it themselves. They viewed this as problematic because it shows how men might excuse others and do not feel like forcing women to have sex or even sexual harassment as being wrong. There is a very blurry line for them if there is any at all. I feel that there are many people including women who feel that once married it is the women’s job to take care of the husbands needs no matter what and if push comes to shove and forcing sex on the wife happens the thought of calling it rape was nonexistent. I have had a conversation about this with my mom and she sees my point however maintains that rape between married couples doesn’t exist and wives need to do what they are obligated to do because it says it on the Bible. She did not say it in those words but that is what I got from it. Education plays a big role in being aware of these issues and I feel that social awareness is great but it puts us in a position where we are progressing but so many other countries face this problem ten times worse than here and there is just so little people can do let alone women being the powerless minorities.
Comment by Jessica N — April 17, 2012 @ 11:14 am
The Clothesline Project gives those who have been in these types of situations a place to connect with others who have gone through something similar. This video was really sad. I feel that people just do not realize how much violence there is out there towards women. I never knew about that Top Model episode. That is really disturbing because it gives other people ideas. Sure, we enjoyed Twilight and all of the nice characters that played dead but to act like dead corpses for a photo shoot is just wrong. There are people out there that have certain fetishes or pharaphilias who find this pleasurable. Videos or ads that show that, are not sending the right message.
Comment by Ana B — April 18, 2012 @ 6:33 am
Violence has become a very serious social problem in our society, and around the globe. Even though violence is not as high as it once was it is still problematic and causes awareness. It is disturbing to see that a well-known television serious could promote and air something as horrifying as this. The meaning of the episode went deeper than its actually intentions and caused my eyebrows to be raised. Violence is something that should not be tolerated, and women should speak out and voice their voices regardless of how men and society will accept them. The more women speak out the more help they will receive and cope with their issues. This video shows that every women can be at chance of being abused; physically, mentally, verbally, emotionally, or sexually. Although it may seem hard, women need to stand up for themselves and prove that they hold power in their own hands.
Comment by Erchanik P. — April 21, 2012 @ 11:10 pm
I had never before heard of the clothesline project before reading this blog. My first reaction to it was happiness that abuse and violence against women was being discussed on a college campus especially when you review the statistics of the number of college women who are sexually abused and harassed. The actual part of decorating t-shirts with people’s stories and words of encouragement for people who may be in or have been in a similar situation and hanging them up for everyone to see was inspiring. Many women do not report being abused because they feel they won’t be believed or that they will be accused of having done something to warrant this abuse. Being able to see that they are not alone that this does unfortunately happen to women everywhere will I feel help them find their voice and help them speak out and seek help. I also liked the fact that they were quite literally “airing their dirty laundry” which for a long time was considered one of the major reasons or excuses as to why women were not speaking up against spousal abuse; the reputation of the family was more important than the physical and emotional health of the abused.
Comment by Ajalah T. — April 22, 2012 @ 9:32 pm
Its interesting that the media continues to play such a huge role on our perception of society, especially when it comes to crime. I believe that the tremendous amount of sexual assault incidences that we have in pur society is due to the fact women ‘thought’ to be afraid of the wrong people. Like the article states, the media portrays the rapist to be hiding in the bushes, but rarely portrays their friends or acquiescence in this matter. Programs like the ‘Clothesline Project’ are great because it exposes the reality of this type of crime. I hope that these types of programs continue to diminish the rate of female sexual assault that is so prevalent in our culture.
Comment by Elvis Rosales — April 23, 2012 @ 11:40 am
This was so powerful and touching to me! As a victim of abuse I wish that projects like this were more common. It would help those of us who escaped from the abuse be able to heal and thrive in our new life. Projects like these will help bring awareness to a hidden issue in our society so that people can identify what abuse is and realize if they are in an abusive relationship and help those who are still in the situation of abuse see that they are not alone. It gives the hope and strength to seek the help they need to be able to get out of a really horrible situation.
Tina
Comment by Tina Brenner — April 24, 2012 @ 12:55 pm
Watching this video made me think of people in this world who has been raped and abused. It is very hard for me to hear things like this or see things like this. Even though i know it happens in the world so often that it should seem “normal” it does not. This topic is so touching and it brings tears to my eyes and pain in my heart. It is hard for a victim to speak out on this because it is hard to keep bringing it up. You are screwed for life when something like this drastic happens in your life. Some people do not understand how bad the person is scared. This leads to suicides, low self-esteems, gays, and some more things. With programs such as the one at Santa Monica College and Awareness events it can help out women in many different ways. I do not think it is okay for a man to hit a woman at all. I also do not believe in women hitting men either. I strongly believe that one of the reasons as to why woman do not speak up with they are abused by their spouse is because they need them for financial reasons and they do not want their kids to be without a father or mother. It is hard sometimes to sacrifice when your in a situation like that especially if the woman is staying because of financial reasons. When I see corporations such as clothing companies, game companies, and accessory companies using violence as a advertisement it breaks my heart that they have to find something so low to get money. But, then again the world revolves around money so it does not surprise me that much.
Comment by Bri Davis — April 24, 2012 @ 8:10 pm
I really appreciated watching this video, it was well crafted and set up for people to understand the issue at hand. They pointed out the problem, they brought to light the main concerns, and lastly they showed how we could fight this horrific social problem. We all need to ask ourselves, “why do we support these companies who use women as sexual objects or abusive victims?” Yes sex and women, even men beauty sells, but it’s the consumer who support these adds and companies. But as we can see, most of these consumers are the ones with money, the top social classes who can afford to buy these products. We can protest and reach out to the community about this issue but we have to hit the heart of the problem and that is the ones who have money, buy these products, and support these companies. I don’t this these elite class run into issues of sexual assault or abuse as much as the lower classes do. So they, the top percent, don’t look at these adds the same ways others do. They may see rich, fame, luxury, success, etc. when they see these adds, and others actually see these women and men being slaves, selling sex and abuse for company gains. On that note, I agree with Santa Monica college students are doing, they have to start somewhere and reaching out to the younger generation is a good idea, since they will eventually be the one to lead this country and make a change. I have a close family member who was a victim or rape and her story has been kept silent and she refuses to speak about it. I think if she were to take part in something like this video showed, and talk/write about her story then others would learn and be aware. The voice of the younger generation will be the future of this world!
Comment by Wesley L. — April 25, 2012 @ 7:31 pm
I find it amazing that these people are trying to raise awareness about abuse because they are right the media galmorizes this abuse. I remember watching the America’s Next Top Model episode where the girls posed as murder victims. I hated that they were meant to look dead. Who wants to look dead?! How can you be beautiful and dead? Or be a role model but pose as a VICTIM!? None of it made sense to me but the has what pop-culture has done to us. The video was very eye opening and I hope that it raises awareness. The only way that this violence can end is if we all speak up. I hope that we can all do our part.
Comment by Jessica Serrano — April 26, 2012 @ 6:38 pm
The clothing line project put together in Santa Monica College is a great thing to do. I think this is a very powerful way to bring awareness It is shocking to learn that every two minutes all over the world there is someone being sexually assaulted. I have never been a victim of abused and i hope that no women would have to ever go trough that again. It is very scary to know how unsafe it is to want to do something so simple like walking alone at night, but it can be so dangerous. After hearing in the video that the the number one cause of injury for women is battering I could not believe it. Living in a world with out violence would be something great. I do not understand why men feel the need to abuse women in any way.
Comment by Angelica E. — April 26, 2012 @ 7:07 pm
I think that people definitely need to look more seriously against violence against women. It affects everyone, no matter what community you live in, what you look like, etc. Everyone knows someone who has been the victim of battery or other types of violence. My girlfriend falls into the category of women who have been sexually assaulted, and it was by someone that she knew. She was young at the time and didn’t report the incident, and didn’t even tell anyone about it until years later. It still affects her, and it makes me sick to think about.
The “America’s Next Top Model” shoot is disgusting. It glamorizes the violence and makes it something almost attractive. Nothing like that should ever be shown in such a positive light. There is nothing glamorous about violence against women.
Comment by Kyle Rudell — April 29, 2012 @ 1:26 pm
The images in this video were extremely disturbing. To think that these images are run in magazines to sell high end clothes and were on a cable network program that is accessible to children is disgusting. Violence is never all right and it seems that the media and our culture has come to not only accept violence against women but somehow glamorize it as well. I have been a victim of violence by an acquaintance and can say first hand that it is not only one of the most painful things to endure but it is extremely difficult to report it as well. I went to the police three days after the incident and the first thing they asked me in the interview room was, “what were you wearing?” Because violent acts against women are so under reported I believe training law enforcement on how to treat individuals who do want to report it should be changed. Violence is never o.k. and one should always report it. Voices need to be heard.
Comment by Nancy Rodriguez — April 29, 2012 @ 2:06 pm
The clothesline project is an amazing event I have attended one at my local community college. It is true that woman being raped continues to happen everyday. It is important that these types of events like the clothesline project continue to happen to make people aware of the type of violence going on against woman. If the media did not glamorize this type of violence it would be terrifying to here about all the cases that go on everyday. It is also horrible how the fashion industry has also used violence against woman to advertise their products. I can also remember watching that episode of America’s Next Top Model when they had that weird photo shoot. I remember thinking that it was so weird to portray the models as beaten up woman. There are also hundreds of advertisements that also use violence against woman to promote their products. I do think that it is important to keep supporting these types of events like the clothesline project to show victims out that they are not the only ones who need help. It is important to have as much support out there for these women who actually want to seek help. This issue is not one that many like to talk about, but it should be because of the severity. Clothesline projects should be a part of every college because it is an inspiring event that does bring awareness.
Comment by LilianaC — April 29, 2012 @ 2:18 pm
Violence against women is not funny; it’s a serious issue that’s being glorified in TV shows like America’s next top mode. These forms of violence result in physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health and other health problems. The clothesline project at Santa Monica College was an effective way to inform both women and women about violence against women. It brings awareness and has the capacity to put a stop to this serious issue that America keeps neglecting.
Comment by Erica — April 29, 2012 @ 2:24 pm
This project is amazing! I remember when I first saw this at my local community college I did not know what it was about or why there were shirts’ hanging. As I got closer and starter to read some of the t-shirts, I became angered and sad. I could not believe what these people had been put thru and how much they suffered because of sexual abuse. I felt proud that the victims had the courage to write what they felt and their stories, this way other victims of abuse can see and know that they are not alone, and don’t think that it only happens to them, and they can get help. Media has made abuse look as something desiring or acceptable when in reality it is not acceptable and it should not be done to either a man or a women. I have never been in a situation of abuse, but my hearts go out to the ones that have, and have had the courage to speak out and get help. I believe that if it has not happen to you it has happen to someone you know, and it is very important they know that they are not alone and can get the help they need.
Comment by DeniseF — April 29, 2012 @ 9:27 pm
The clothesline project is truly amazing. There are so women who do not share their trauma leading them to keep it hidden and damaging their self-worth. Women are scared to tell the police what happened in many instances they feel ashamed and embarrassed. Like the clip shows the media is not doing anything to stop rapes from accruing. Instead of advertising rapes they should seize from showing them. They sexualize violence against women. Making it seem as it okay to be so violent against women; giving meant the idea that it is okay. They are using rapes and violence as entertainment. The scene on ANTM was disturbing. How can they not see that concept of death made the model think of her friend that had just passed away? Yet she is told she did not do a good job and wasn’t focused. This project gives insight to women that it is okay to speak up that they should not feel shameful because it is not their fault.
Comment by Teresa H. — April 30, 2012 @ 10:41 pm
I thinks it’s great that there are more support groups and that more people are aware of the sexual violence that goes on in our society. I believe the more we are educated on sexual violence the more we can be proactive. I remember when I was 8 years old my friend from next door was sexually assaulted by a group of teenagers. I remember how traumatize she was from the whole experience. She went from a girl who was filled with energy into a quiet girl who never went outside of the house to play with the other kids on the block. I remember being mad at the perpetrators because not only did they sexually assaulted her but they took away my childhood friend. I believe a lot of women are in denial of the abuse within their relationship in which it’s not their fault. Support groups are great for victims of sexual violence and domestic violence to express themselves and share their stories. I remember how my best friend opened up to me about being a victim of abuse within her relationship. The feeling left me choked up with emotions and then anger towards her boyfriend at the time. Eventually after she told me about being a victim of abuse she was quick enough to end the relationship for good. I felt like the more she was open in telling the people close to her the more strength she had to walk away from her abusive boyfriend. Overall I think support groups and people that understand the sexual violence that goes on the more people will feel comfortable and open in telling their story.
Comment by Oscar M — April 30, 2012 @ 11:27 pm
It is really sad that doing model shoots like in America’s Next Top Model, they are shutting out the brutal truth involving women and violence. The trend of using sex, violence and brutality towards women for advertising needs to stop. 1 and 3 women who see these ads are actually going to be sexually assaulted. I never really realized how bad advertisements were until I was aware and reading into them. Movies are a huge uproar for glamourizing the brutality against women. Even though these things are entertainment, its allowing our society to think that it is okay to do these things.
Comment by Heather Stevens — May 1, 2012 @ 10:56 am
This is brilliant. I was on the verge of tears simply for how powerful this is. As a college sociology student I hear stories about violence against people, especially women, all the time. It is devastating and heart breaking and I wish there was more I can do. Thanks to projects like this women have a voice and are not alone. Not to mention there are so many myths about abuse, like men cannot be abused or that abuse is always by stranger like what is discussed here. But actually abuse is often by people that are very close to the victim, brothers, fathers, etc. It is so sad. I love this video and project.
Comment by Jennifer — May 4, 2012 @ 1:16 pm
I thimk the project is great, it gives awareness for those who are not aware about women violence. Violence against women is a big issue in our society and anywere in the world, that is seen as a norm because of allthe ads and commercials that glorify. It makes the real victims doubt about reporting it because they might think they are exagerating. With programs like America’s Top Model they are saying that is okay to be bruced, bloody because you still look sexy. It’s a shame how we are in a way resposible of this programs to go on air because we watch them. The media and society have a big impact on the continuation on women violence. Thanks, to this kind of projects the victims speak out, and less afraid to do so, it gives them some courage because they are not the only ones.
Comment by Gladys S — May 8, 2012 @ 8:08 am
This is so great and so powerful. It’s shocking how lightly rape and sexual abuse are taken in our society. That clip from America’s Next Top Model is horrifying, when you’re looking at it with the right pair of eyes. Most people who watch the show are not analyzing it, so when the part comes up where the models have to pose like dead women a majority of the audience sees no problem with it. It’s bad enough that the photographer is encouraging them to look “dead, but beautiful” they never once mention the women’s abuse epidemic in America, not even a little. 1 in 3 women being sexually assaulted is a huge problem, and nothing’s going to change if the media keeps sexualizing it.
Comment by Lauren B — May 9, 2012 @ 11:04 am
The clothesline project is an inspiring way to raise awareness of rape and violent against women and girls. It is amazing how society does nothing to fix this problem. Growing up my parents always warned me about the dangers there are for girls, not until I was older I understood what they meant. Rape and violence against women and girls is have been around for many years but until recently women and girls are standing and fighting back for the issue. It’s sad that every two minutes someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted and its worst that it’s being done by someone they know. According the video, “battery is the number one cause of injury to women in the U.S. It accounts for more injuries to women than strangers rapes, muggings and car accidents combined.” As for the media they display these images when they are really happing throughout the world. With Ad’s that depict violence against women and girls they are untimely saying that is okay. The media as well as society needs to realize this is a big problem and try to fix it.
Comment by Debora G — May 9, 2012 @ 9:39 pm
I hate to admit that I am a viewer of some of these Crime Scene shows, but I have to admit that I am going to look at them differently now. Violence against women has been around for ever, but in this day and age it is sad to think that women are still afraid to speak up. I am actually faced with a situation where a girl I recently started to becoming closer with has opened up to me about an abusive relationship she is in… and refuses to leave. While the physical abuse, she claims, is few and far between (and she also likes to blame herself for these times), the emotional abuse is constant and never ending. He is shredding any bit of self-esteem she ever had and it seems like it just for fun. I try to help, but my words are not enough! I think I am going to join the cloths line project and make a shirt in her honor!
This movement is powerful and I hope that we as women and as a society start standing up for gender equality and creating an environment where everyone has a voice!
Comment by J. Prock — May 10, 2012 @ 1:35 am
Its sad to know that violence towards women isn’t always taken so seriously. It is over glamorized in advertisements, video games, and movies. Instead of using violence towards women as a way to sell, it is more important to bring light to the seriousness of it. The Clothesline Project does a great job at making people aware of violence towards women and it helps people find comfort in each other by speaking about their experiences. Projects like these should be extended to more campuses. The more people are aware, the easier it is to tackle an issue, so awareness is important.
Comment by Cynthia M. — May 10, 2012 @ 3:43 pm
The number of sexual crimes that happens daily is astounding. The statistics in this article are surprising. Until recently, sexual violence and abuse was never really something of a concern for me, as I hadn’t experienced this myself, and as it is said in this article, its just a part of the media that is “dolled up” to be entertainment. It wasn’t until my girlfriend shared with me tiny details of her terrible experience with rape that I became conscious of how rape is so present through out everyone’s lives, even if they don’t see it. It’s slightly relieving to hear that 2,546,420 Americans were saved from sexual violence, but that is only a tiny fraction of how many are affected. With the way our justice system works, often these victims don’t even receive justice, my girlfriend sure didn’t. This system protects the rapists and abusers saying that without proof a woman could be lying. I think we need to make the sexual violence more aware in our communities, enough so that we can take a stand. A woman should be able to walk down the street without fearing something terrible.
Comment by Mohit Sharma — May 11, 2012 @ 2:33 pm
This campaign sends an amazing powerful message. It allows the world to see the damage abuse has caused to women and children through the symbolism of clothing. This reminds me a lot of a campaign that I personally hold close to my heart, the Denim Project we hold every year in my then high school, Theodore Roosevelt. On Denim Day we hang denim jeans in awareness of sexual assaults and abuse towards women. These types of campaign are amazing for our youth because it makes them aware of the situation in a non-conventional way. Abuse is clearly not taken seriously in the media as described. I personally watch that precise episode on Tyra Banks Show: America’s Next Top Model and never really thought much about the message that was being subliminally sent. I doubt that they purposely did this or that they do not think abuse is an issue. I think the issue was the fact that our society is ignorant to how serious of an issue abuse is. I never knew that two out three women have been abused, yet I feel that I should have been. In college I have had the privilege to meet so many amazing women that have been victims of such a shameless and horrible act. Therefore now that I think about the statistics of women being abused, it is no surprise that the number is so high. As I read some of the previous responds to this blog, the amount of women responding that have been victims of abuse is vast but the amazing part of it is that many have found strength within projects such as the Clothes Line Project; proving that campaigns like these make a difference in women’s lives. Nevertheless the fact that 60 % of victim abuse has gone down, statistically supports this as well. Ignorance on the issue is prevalent and therefore awareness is needed. Keep up the good work and keep making a difference.
Comment by Mariela P — May 11, 2012 @ 11:50 pm
The Clothesline project is something that hits very close to home. I have come into contact with many women, some family, friends and acquaintances, who have been victims of domestic violence. I never understood the damning effects domestic violence had on women until talking to them and understanding their pain. Domestic violence really became real for me when I found myself trying my hardest to comfort a close friend who had been victimized. I noticed that she carried a sense of embarrassment and shame with her because of the incident and it still is something the she hesitates to talk about. Violence against women has often been seen as taboo or it glorified through media outlets, and the Clothesline project shows the truth behind violence against women. Hanging the shirts on a clothesline and allowing people to read their stories provide a great opportunity to engage in healthy dialogue, while promoting awareness about something that is rarely spoken about. The Clothesline project is great because it shows abused women that they are not alone, and it is gives them an outlet to have a voice.
Comment by Jasmine M — May 12, 2012 @ 12:34 am
This campaign gives an important message that caught to my attention. I have never noticed these things until now. I am surprised that “America’s Top Model” showed no sensitivity about the issues of portraying women as victims. We have to respect that being domestically abused doesn’t mean that should be a fashion trend. We have to help those women that been hurt and have more campaign like The Clothesline Project. We have to give awareness that it is not ok for men or the fashionistas people to see violence against women as normal.
Comment by Karen Acevedo — May 12, 2012 @ 4:47 pm
This video shows how women are brutally attacked and abused on a daily basis. The next top model show does depict abuse in their photo shoot but its funny to me because the women all were excited and happy to do a Crime Scene photo shoot. It was a disturbing behavior and weird photo shoot to actually watch because of the seriousness to it. Violence against women is big in numbers and this photo shoot should have been denied by some of the models if they actually took it seriously. But then again this is why the fight of violence and rape wont change unless women act. I hope they do because all I got from the video was that these women condone what they were doing just to be a model.The numbers stated and sexually abuse in the pictures was enough for me to say no in a situation those models faced.
Comment by Michael C — May 13, 2012 @ 12:39 pm
Violence against women is highly unacceptable in my opinion and need to be STOP!!!!I personally think the clothesline project at Santa Monica College was a good idea and very interesting because it stood out for me personally. Also it was powerful watching the video. In society we need to be very aware of what is going on with the physical abuse of women everyday,because not everyone is always aware this can be happening to a close neighbor or family member or close friend.I strongly think we need to speak out and don’t hold back of constant abuse. Even though as time has gone by we have tried hard to protect abused women by passing laws, it is still the single most common cause of injury to women unfortunately. Many women are in abusive situations that they cannot get away from because of fear, or just because they think that they intimidate the abuse and they can’t move without them peacefully,but it is not like that.They can def. move out slowly but can do it!!!
Comment by Melissa Avitia — May 13, 2012 @ 9:43 pm
I am all for this project. It sends a powerful message. It is an unconventional way to get attention but it works. The media will never take abuse seriously so it is up to us to raise awareness. Something as simple as sharing stories is a powerful tool that can help others. It gives anyone a voice, something most people believe they don’t have. It is great to see such a huge decrease made, and I hope we can reduce it even more, if not completely.
Comment by DannyM — May 13, 2012 @ 9:57 pm
What a powerful film. I remember watching that episode of americas next top model and thinking to myself how I would have done those same poses. Now I look at the show with pure disgust. What an absolutely atrocious thing for tyra an example of success for women in america to display to the audience that is unfortunately so malleable and easily influenced. What needs to change is that people need to stop sexualizing rape and abuse because I’m afraid that one day people will stop differentiating between the two and start abusing their partner because they think it is something that just goes along with any sexual relationship. I really wish that the clothesline project would take place again because honestly, people really need it.
Comment by Stephanie Farzam — May 14, 2012 @ 6:52 pm
What hit me the hardest is the fact that a woman is considerably less safe from violence in her own home than she is on the street. Imagine the constant fear a person must live in when their place of residence is the place where they are more likely to be harmed. And the media’s portrayal of violence against women as a marketable, profitable concept does nothing to help this situation. From an incredibly young age, boys (and girls) are taught that to be feminine is to be weak and submissive. Through video games, clothing emblems, television shows and commercials, even young adult literature, the common theme recurs that it is a woman’s duty to be submissive and allow this violence to occur. Steps need to be taken to change this mindset established at such a young age, and the best way to do that is to directly target the media and its appalling portrayal of women.
Comment by Neda D. — May 16, 2012 @ 5:46 pm