The Southern Arkansas University Psychology Department will host “The Closeline Project: Break the Silence” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, April 14, on the lawn of the Columbia County Courthouse, and during the same time on Tuesday in the mall area at SAU.
“The Closeline Project” is a traveling exhibit of approximately 300 hand decorated items of clothing, each representing a life lost due to domestic violence in Arkansas over the past 10 years.
“April is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so we were pleased to be able to schedule this exhibit to visit Magnolia and SAU,” said Deborah Wilson, SAU psychology instructor. “An average of 30 Arkansans are killed each year from domestic violence. This exhibit helps to remember the victims while raising awareness about domestic violence.”
The display includes a shirt remembering Brittany Pater of Magnolia. Pater’s story and the stories of the other victims are hanging with their respective shirt on display.
Wilson recalled her first viewing of the exhibit, and described it as a “powerful, unforgettable display.”
The event really hit home for her when she discovered a shirt representing a woman she knew. “It brought up a lot of emotion. I stood there thinking about her and what she went through,” said Wilson.
The exhibit is sponsored by the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ACADV) and the Women’s Crisis Center in Camden. It is free and open to the public.
SAU students and faculty will be assisting in arranging and repacking the display both days. “We are actively involved in the issues we teach [in the psychology department at SAU],” said Dr. Chrisanne Christensen, psychology professor. “That is really important to us.”
