Clothesline Project marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month

NEWBURGH — To begin the observation of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, the Orange County Coalition for the Prevention of Violence Against Women hosted a Clothesline Project from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6, on the plaza of the Neighborhood Business and Resource Center, 280 Broadway, Newburgh, First conceived and displayed in Cape Cod, Mass., in 1990, The Clothesline Project is a visual display of T-shirts with messages and illustrations designed by women survivors of domestic violence, or by someone who has been a witness of violence against women. The demonstration seeks to increase awareness about the impact of violence in people's lives, celebrate a woman's strength to survive, and provide another way to break the silence that often surrounds domestic violence. Additional clothesline events will take place on the following dates: Oct. 12 — Greater Hudson Valley Family Health Center in Newburgh Oct. 14 — Daly Field in West Point Oct. 20 — Galleria at Crystal Run in Middletown Oct. 24 — Veterans Square Park in Port Jervis. For more information visit www.safehomesorangecounty.org or call Safe Homes at 562-5365. The Clothesline Project displays are an initiative of the Orange County Coalition for the Prevention of Violence Against Women, jointly chaired by Safe Homes of Orange County, the Rape Crisis Services Program/Mental Health Association in Orange County, and the YWCA Orange County. Safe Homes, now in its 25th year, works toward eliminating domestic violence by offering comprehensive support services to survivors and by increasing public awareness through education and prevention programs. For help, call Safe Homes' 24-hour hotline at 1-888-503-4673 (HOPE).