For many, it’s a well-kept secret: domestic violence. But Pellissippi State Community College, in collaboration with the Knox County Health Department and the Knoxville YWCA, is helping break the silence and raise the community’s awareness of the problem.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the college invites the public to take part in two events: the Clothesline Project and a candlelight tea.
The Clothesline Project is Oct. 4-5. Anyone who has been a victim of violence, or knows someone (male or female) who has, will have the opportunity to participate by decorating a T-shirt in that person’s honor. Free shirts and decorating supplies will be provided both days, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., in the Courtyard on the Pellissippi Campus, 10915 Hardin Valley Road.
In the event of inclement weather, activities will move to the Rotunda of the nearby Goins Building. The decorated shirts will be displayed on a clothesline in the building’s College Center Oct. 13-21.
On Oct. 20, the college will host a candlelight tea 11 a.m.-2 p.m., also in the College Center. Bins will be available for donations of personal and baby items for the Knox County Family Crisis Center.
The Crisis Center provides temporary shelter and transitional housing; supportive counseling and advocacy for victims of family violence and abuse; domestic violence support groups; and travel assistance and relocation for women fleeing domestic violence situations. The hotline number for the center is (865) 637-8000.
“We have students come into the Counseling office who are in abusive relationships,” said Kim Bays, a Pellissippi State counselor. “As a matter of fact, statistics say that one out of two women in America will find themselves in an abusive relationship. It’s our hope at Pellissippi State to fight domestic violence by providing education and support.”
The Clothesline Project began in Hyannis, Mass., in 1990. Since that time, projects have begun in communities throughout the world. The purpose is to raise awareness and help with the healing process for people who have lost a loved one or are survivors of violence themselves.
For more information on either event, contact Kim Bays at (865) 694-6591.
To request accommodations for a disability, contact the executive director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action at (865) 694-6607 or humanresources@pstcc.edu.