All who passed between the Library and the Administration Building yesterday were faced with a bold statement about sexual violence.

Over several large clotheslines hung hundreds of hand-decorated T-shirts, each depicting the creator’s personal experience with sexual violence. Called, “The Clothesline Project,” this exhibition was sponsored by the FMLA and the Sexual Assault Crisis Agency.

As student’s walked by, many stopped and took notice of the exhibit because of the blunt and explicit messages written upon them. Students were further taken aback when they realized that each one of these T-shirts represents the testimony of an actual rape or sexual assault survivor from the local area and Cerritos College.

Victor Gutierrez, Graphic Design, was struck by the up-front messages displayed on the line, and the fact that they were all true. Like many others who stopped to read the shirts, he felt he could relate to several of the messages. “I will never forget this,” he commented, as he quietly reflected on the brutal words he read.

This is just the impact Nassrin Bonyadloo, President of the FMLA, and Evelin Barragan of SACA were looking for. Bonyadloo sees this exhibit as a good time for us all to, “…reflect on the lives affected by sexual assault.”

Many students took up the offer, not only to view the display, but to add to it as well, creating their own shirts to be displayed along with the others. Several dozen of the shirts displayed came from right here on campus.

The goals of the organizations putting on the event are to raise awareness and educate people both about the problem, and about the help that is available to those who need it.

There is a striking theme to many of the shirts. Most speak of acts of sexual violence perpetrated by a friend, significant other, or family member. As you read the messages one by one, it becomes more and more apparent that nearly all of these people were assaulted, not by a stranger in a dark alley, but by someone they knew and trusted.

The message of the shirts was confirmed by Barragan, who said a major reason these shirts were hanging was to educate the public and dispel myths about sexual violence. And the fact of the matter is, as she put it, “You are more likely to be raped by someone you know.”

The power with which the individual experiences represented in this project drove the point home goes far beyond what any simple statistic or fact could ever hope to do.

Barragan hopes this display will get people to, “..realize it does happen more than we think.” She is attempting to educate people in order to break down the shame victims are too often made to feel regarding their assaults, as well as make the public aware of the extent and composition of the problem.

“Sexual violence does not discriminate,” she said. It affects all peoples of all walks of life. She wants to treat sexual violence, not just as an individual problem between two people, but as a social problem, needing all of our attention, not just those directly affected.

For more inormation about The Clothesline Project or SACA, their offices can be reached at (562) 494-5046. If you or someone you know is being victimized by sexual violence, you can call the Los Angeles County Rape and Battering Hotline at (310) 392-8381.