ST. LUCIA STAR
Article by: Kayra Williams
Security minister Guy Mayers (center) told the audience that respect was key to curbing abuse.Anyone passing near the Derek Walcott Square on Tuesday, March 30 would have likely had to do a double take to ensure what they thought they saw matched up to what was happening in reality. At a first glance, it looked as if women were hanging up freshly washed laundry inside the Square, rather than in their own back yards.
Those who had the time dropped in, simply to inquire about what was going on, having not heard about the project through various advertising mediums. They were ushered into the venue with relaxing Reggae tunes adding a spring to their step, and quickly learned that the proceedings were all part of the ongoing Clothesline Project.
The event was presented by the Division of Gender Relations in collaboration with TOCO-They Often Cry Outreach, the Crisis Centre and HTS/Radio 100 and culminated International Women’s Day activities on the island.
The idea of hanging clothes, in this instance, freshly painted, or previously painted t-shirts was an attempt to raise awareness of domestic violence. An exploration through the carefully arranged clothing lines would find that each shirt had been painted by regular women who just wished to tell their story. In some cases the “artists” had been victims themselves, and wrote in an effort to get their stories out there, hoping that it would help other victims of abuse realize they were not alone. At the same time they hoped it would help them finally let go of the pain of their own experiences.
National archivist Margot Thomas’s shirt read: “It only takes one to stop the violence, let it be you!” Other carefully designed shirts spoke for themselves, “Love doesn’t hurt, Love is beautiful,” “Mad, very angry at the person,” and “Please, don’t forget I survived.”
By hanging a shirt and walking away, it is felt that a woman can in a sense leave an ugly part of her past behind, and move on. The project was started by various women’s groups in Cape Cod, Massachusetts in the United States in an effort to create a program that would “educate, break the silence and bear witness to one issue—violence against women.”
Tuesday’s event intended to draw in members of the public who wished to express solidarity with victims of domestic abuse.
“Stamp your disapproval of this abhorrent behaviour, encourage the youth to make a difference, to break the cycle,” the message rang out through the sound system.
National Archivist Margot Thomas joined the project on the Square on Tuesday.There was no short supply of women—and men, wanting to add their stories to the project and sign shirts. From 12:30 pm curious onlookers showed their disapproval of gender violence by adding their shirts to the already abundant collection. The t-shirts were also meant to serve as an educational tool for guests to the event.
The display dates of the Clothesline Project typically coincide with months calling attention to violence. Presently, there are around 500 similar projects internationally with an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 t-shirts.
Tuesday’s event offered a poetry recital by Marcel Johnson, entitled, “Deflowered and Still Bleeding,” and Calypsonian Lady Lyn’s anthem, “Women in March.” There were also solidarity messages from various organizations including the St. Lucia Blind Welfare Association, the International Men’s Network, FAITH, Education International, the International Women’s Support Center, the Crisis Centre, as well as remarks from Andrea Bourne representing the St. Lucia Labour Party and St. Lucia’s Commerce Minister Guy Mayers.
Mayers left the gathering with the message that change started with one person. “Respect the rights of each other… love your spouses and take care of the children,” he said. In his words doing that would lead to a more peaceful and friendly society. “Be part of the solution, not the problem.”