By Mandy Feder —
The T-shirts on the clothesline waved with the light breeze that traveled down Main Street.
Messages written and painted by hand on cotton canvasses aired the dirty laundry for all to see. What must the students think as they pass, making their way to the elementary, middle, and high schools in Kelseyville?
Surely some of them have the T-shirts, too, except theirs may not have words yet.
And though the sun is shining, there is a phantom feeling that transforms that particular stretch of worn pavement from a Small Town, USA, to a place where shame, blame and pain are exposed.
The shirts resemble a line of freedom flags, each in many ways the same as the shirts beside them on the clothesline.
“The T-shirt project is an art project using fabric and paint to depict how people feel about domestic abuse,” Executive Director of Lake Family Resource Center, Gloria Flaherty, said. “We”ve been doing this for about a decade. The project was created as a public testimony that raises awareness about violence toward women — to honor the memories of victims and to celebrate survivors.”
Women, men and children who are victims of domestic violence find shelter from the storm and then tools to build a healthy life and a safe home where fear, degradation and pain do not reside.
In the United States a woman is beaten or assaulted every nine seconds with domestic violence as the leading cause of injury to women — more than car crashes, muggings and rapes combined. About three women per day are killed by boyfriends or husbands. As many as 10 million children per year watch as their parent is beaten or killed. Children of abusers are twice as likely to become abusers or become the victims of abuse.
About 85 percent of reported domestic violence cases list women as the victims.
Aside from the obvious emotional and physical tolls, the dollar amount associated with domestic violence incidents is nearly $6 billion per year in this country.
Leaving abusive relationships typically heightens danger to the victim. Those who leave are usually fearful, embarrassed, riddled with shame and self-blame about their situation. What is difficult to begin with is compounded in rural areas that often see victims with limited financial options who lack transportation and knowledge of services.
During this Domestic Violence Awareness Month help the Freedom House by participating in Lake County Volunteer Day/United Way Day of Caring.
Give the gift of laughter, play and beauty and help families heal. Volunteer Saturday and lend a hand to install playgrounds and plant a community garden. Bring yourself and maybe a pair of gloves or some tools to 5350 Main St. in Kelseyville from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
If you are simply curious about the shelter, an open house takes place on Sunday from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.
For information or help in Lake County call 262-1379. Other resources include the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 and the National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline at 866-331-9474.
Mandy Feder is the Managing Editor at Lake County Publishing. She can be reached at mandyfeder@yahoo.com or 263-5636 ext. 32. Follow on Twitter @mandyfeder1.
