Perhaps it is the fact that many of these incidents go unreported, but as one can see in the quad today, violence can no longer be ignored. A clothesline, sponsored by Iota Delta Sorority, displays an array of t-shirts in a variety of colors and with many different messages, each dedicated to a victim of violent criminal abuse. The project is aimed at “airing society’s dirty laundry,” and as one can see, society has a lot of it. Yet, all of these shirts tell the same story of an injured mind and body, and a scarred soul.
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The yellow shirt is for Laura, who would step into her mom’s heels and play with her lipstick. She is old enough to wear make-up now and finally told her mother that she was molested by her uncle when she was young. In her childhood memories are scenes of abuse.
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Elisa’s misery is represented by the brown shirt. Her pain alarmed the nation of the monstrosities people are capable of. In her case, the monster was her mother. Lost in the world of substance abuse, she forgot that a child’s life is precious. Her 6-year-old corpse was found with bruises, broken fingers and signs of sexual assault—later found to be executed by a toothbrush or hair brush. A wound to her head led to the internal bleeding that ended her life. Perhaps this blow was given during one of the instances when her mother used her head to mop the floor.
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Susan’s pain is symbolized by the red shirt. It tells her story of running to the streets with her children looking for a haven away from her husband’s insults, her husband’s fists. The pain ended after he drank himself to death.
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The grief in Maria’s life is depicted by the pink shirt. Her father never laid a hand on her. If he had, it probably would have been the only action he took to acknowledge her. She heard her mother cry at night when her father did not come home. And when he was home, she remembers him locked in the bathroom with his six pack of beer. His negligence hit harder than any punch.
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The white shirt tells the story of Stephanie’s death. Her family was driving down the street and made a wrong turn into gang violence. She was only 3. She was at the wrong place at the wrong time. The bullet that ended her life robbed the world of her future contributions to society.
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The torture that added Steven to the list of murdered rape victims is exemplified by the green shirt. He was abducted, assaulted and killed. His life was taken at the age of 16. He did not dance at his senior prom. He did not stand in line for a diploma. These rites of passage were taken away along with his life.
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The crime that caused Kim to share her story is represented by the blue shirt. She broke the stigma of rape by publicly telling her torment to not feel victimized through the shame of her silence. She refused to be another number. Her courage converted this rape into a positive statistic—a reported rape.
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The purple shirt is for Libby. Her sexual orientation was the cause of her persecution. She was attacked one evening as she walked to her locker. The intolerance of others manifested itself in kicks and punches that resulted in a dislocated shoulder. Physical injury heals, but the lack of respect hinders the progress toward a tolerant society.
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The testaments illustrated on the shirts are not to be ignored. The display screams for help. The stories of torment belong to victims, survivors and their families. The atrocities they suffer are not personal conflicts, but everyone’s problem. When a scream transcends past the walls of the room or the knocking comes to the door—ACT, do something. Those may be the pleas of Elisa, Steven or Libby. Their pain must be heard.
Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of the victims.
