LSU Hosts “Clothesline Project” as Part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month

As part of LSU’s commitment to educate and bring awareness to sexual assault and domestic violence, LSU hosted its annual Clothesline Project on the Parade Grounds on Monday.

The Clothesline Project, which was organized by TASA (Tigers Against Sexual Assault), is one of the many events taking place on the LSU campus during the month of April. April is sexual assault awareness month. Several LSU student-athletes participated in the event. “The event holds such a powerful meaning,” says Kit Hanley, LSU senior swimmer and SAAC Co-President. “When decorating the t-shirts, we wanted to send the message that no matter what a woman wears, it doesn’t mean you’re allowed to hold the belief that they somehow played a role in what happened to them.” With conviction, Kit says, “we can wear whatever we please.”

TASA partnered with STAR (Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response) to host the event that drew dozens of people to the Parade Grounds.

“The Clothesline Project is a tradition of sorts in the sexual assault prevention community,” event organizer Angelina Cantelli of TASA said. “It’s a reclaiming of the idea that often times survivors of sexual assault are asked what were they wearing to make them feel as if it was their fault that they were assaulted. “ LSU senior swimmer and SAAC representative Lexi Daniels also participated in the event. “While painting these shirts, we were given the creative freedom to add or do whatever we wanted to our shirts, stating, “this is what women do to their outfits.” She explained that the Clothesline Project helps to demonstrate that no matter what you wear, it is not an invitation for assault.” Lexi believes that, “all women should feel safe, comfortable, and confident no matter how we dress.”

“It takes the idea of clothing being related to sexual assault and turns it into a platform to communicate thoughts of hope,” says Cantelli.

Event participants, which included survivors, family members and friends of the victims of sexual violence, used the t-shirts as a way to show their feelings about sexual assault by drawing pictures or writing phrases or words on the shirts. The shirts were on display on a clothesline on the Parade Grounds on Monday and will be put on display at the LSU Student Health Center for the remainder of April.

Cantelli said the t-shirts decorated at Monday’s event will eventually end up on permanent display at the STAR office in Baton Rouge.