“To me personally, to see people come by and read the shirts, it’s empowering,” said Jessica Mattingly, a Hope Harbor community educator, from Fairview, Tenn.

The Clothesline Project is put on every year by Hope Harbor, Bowling Green’s rape crisis center, as a part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in March. The project was displayed during Healthy Days in Preston Center on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

The project is a visual display that bears witness to the survivors and victims of violence against women, as well as an outlet to help with the healing process for the women. Each shirt on the clothesline is decorated to represent a particular survivor’s experience.

“We are trying to raise awareness to show WKU students that it’s OK to talk about this issue,” said Mattingly. “And it’s a great way to show students they do have a voice.”

Some students walked by the display without noticing it, while others stopped and read every shirt along the clothesline.

“It’s crazy that this happens to people and you don’t realize it does,” said WKU senior Rachel McDivitt of Lexington. That was the first time McDivitt had seen The Clothesline Project.

The Clothesline Project is the first of many events put on by Hope Harbor for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

“It’s prevalent on a college campus,” said Bowling Green senior Tessa Seidler.  “Rape affects any age or gender.” Seidler previously volunteered at Hope Harbor and is familiar with the project. She said she likes seeing the display every year.

“It’s important to expose especially college students to this issue. Rape happens all the time,” Seidler said.