The Clothesline Project, an interactive exhibit at the Branson Hall Library Atrium at NMSU, enables survivors of all forms of abuse to share their stories to help spread awareness. To learn more about the exhibit, KRWG's Susan Morée spoke with four graduate students in the Criminal Justice Department: Savannah Hoogerhuis, teaching assistant and president of Graduate Student Organization; Gavin Hoover, graduate assistant and secretary for the GSO; Jennifer Meza, graduate assistant and treasurer for the GSO; and Vanessa Montoya, graduate assistant and vice president for the GSO.
Susan Morée:
Tell us about what the exhibition is. What does it look like and what is it about?
Savannah Hoogerhuis:
This is Savannah speaking. So the exhibition is to spread awareness for our community and across the NMSU campus, specifically for any forms of abuse. The exhibition is going to be a month-long interactive exhibit honoring survivors amplifying their voices, and inspiring change for our communities. Each colored t-shirt represents a different form of abuse, and we have those colors posted at our exhibit as well.
Susan Morée:
And can you talk a little bit more about that? What forms of abuse are you thinking?
Savannah Hoogerhuis:
So we're going to have the forms of abuse that we're sharing or that people are going to be able to share is physical abuse, sexual abuse, incest, rape, verbal, emotional, spiritual, pretty much just to spread awareness for our community and for people to use their voice.
Susan Morée:
And the exhibition is an interactive exhibit, it's an interactive exhibit featuring anonymous stories, correct?
Savannah Hoogerhuis:
Yes. So all t-shirts are anonymous. Anyone can go and create a t-shirt and write their stories or a story of someone that they know. And there is also an option either if they want to display the t-shirt or not. So they are able to, there's going to be a private section where they're able to feel comfortable to share their story and have their voice be heard.
Susan Morée:
So it sounds like a project that's also intended to help healing. Is that correct?
Savannah Hoogerhuis:
Yes, we're going to have resources available as well for these victims. So we're going to have, I believe, I'm not too sure exactly what resources or what departments, but we are pulling in a lot of the community to spread the resources for this project.
Susan Morée:
And can you talk a little bit about domestic violence and why is this important to do this?
Jennifer Meza:
This is Jennifer speaking. So domestic violence is a big issue, not just as a structural crime, but also individually. It can affect a person in so many ways. It can affect mental health. It has been shown that domestic violence has led to higher rates of mortality, of injury in students. It can affect how well they learn. It can affect how they apply themselves, their behaviors, their personalities. So we believe that it's important to speak up about it because if they don't have the resources or the support group to talk about what they're going through, it further isolates them.
Savannah Hoogerhuis:
This is Savannah speaking now. Also, the domestic violence is also really prevalent among students our age and in college campuses where a lot of people are starting to get into more serious relationships and they really don't have the resources when they are in a situation that they can't get out of. So we really want to make sure that we provide resources for any forms of abuse.
Vanessa Montoya:
And I think it's also important because some people may not even know they're being abused or experiencing domestic violence, and so by spreading this awareness, it also educates people in the same sense, those who may not have experienced it may not really know what it entails, but also to spread awareness for those who may not even realize that they are in a domestic violent relationship.
Susan Morée:
Okay, and where is this exhibit being held exactly?
Gavin Hoover:
This is Gavin. It's being held in the Branson Hall Library in the main lobby, like the main atrium when you first enter.
Susan Morée:
Okay. And how long is it open?
Gavin Hoover:
From October 1st to October 31st. So it's open for the entire month of October.
Savannah Hoogerhuis:
And then this is Savannah speaking again, just to reiterate, it's not just about domestic violence, but it's also just about any forms of abuse that someone has went through or witnessed.
Susan Morée:
Okay.
Savannah Hoogerhuis:
And also just to make sure that everyone has a voice and has an opportunity to spread their story if they wish to.
Susan Morée:
Okay, very good. Well, thank you so much. I appreciate all four of you taking the time to talk to me.
Savannah Hoogerhuis:
Thank you for talking with us. We appreciate it.
Susan Morée:
Absolutely.
