Survivors of sexual assault let their voices be heard through clothesline project on Augusta University campuses

Dania Alawir
·2 min read
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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Augusta University is using a simple clothesline to help raise awareness about sexual assault.

Early Thursday morning, students, staff, and faculty raised the Clothesline Project up along the perimeter walking path for yet another year on Augusta University’s Summerville campus and WJBF Photojournalist Dania Alawir joined them in their efforts to shine a light on a sensitive subject.

The Clothesline Project is similar to an art piece – a visual display of T-shirts with messages and illustrations designed by survivors, victims, and or allies of sexual violence in order to increase awareness of the impact of violence, to celebrate survivors strength, and to provide a way to break the silence. Augusta University has been holding this event for more than 20 years.

Julie Kneuker, the Title IX Coordinator at Augusta University tells WJBF, “The clothesline project is a visual project that represents survivors – [to] bring about awareness, provide opportunities for survivors and those that have been affected by sexual assault to have a voice, to have a visual voice.”

One goal of the project is to motivate witnesses to take action, to empower victims to report, to honor a survivor`s strength, and to provide an avenue for them to break the silence that often surrounds their experience, according to Kneuker. Kneuker serves as the lead Title IX investigator in Augusta University’s Office of Compliance and Risk Management and is the volunteer coordinator at Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault Services for the Greater Augusta area.

This year, the Clothesline Project is lining both sides of Walker Street that runs along the Northern perimeter of the Summerville Campus near Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre and can be visited by those interested in reading the messages left by survivors and advocates.

The annual project serves as a strong visual in an effort to help empower victims to report the crime, honor a survivor’s strength and motivate others to take action.

It will be on display throughout the month of April, when Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month is observed nationally. The Clothesline Project was founded in 1990 by a women`s organization in Massachusetts and has since grown to be a national event across college campuses.

This year, other clotheslines will also be added on the Health Sciences campus and another near Christenberry Fieldhouse.

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