In an effort to “break their silence” and find healing, domestic violence survivors came together on Saturday to decorate t-shirts that reflect their personal experiences.

Officials from the Domestic Violence Center of the Santa Clarita Valley hosted the event, which is known as the Clothesline Project, at Savia in Newhall.

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“The different colors represent the different types of experiences that people have gone through,” said Karissa Valencia, the center’s program director. “People are given the tools to be able to write the words or draw the pictures to show what they have experienced or are still experiencing. That could be a variety of emotions– anger, resentment, anything.”

Completed t-shirts are set to be displayed at College of the Canyons and Westfield Valencia Town Center in October, she said. Tables will also be set up at the display locations so people can choose to make a shirt on the spot or take materials home with them.

While this is the first time the Clothesline Project has been hosted by Domestic Violence Center of SCV officials, the event was originally created in Massachusetts.

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“The Clothesline Project was started years ago by a group of women who wanted to bring voice to those who have been silenced for so long because of sexual assault and/or domestic violence,” Valencia said. “Historically, that’s where women would come together… When they would put their clothes up, that’s where they got a chance to really talk about stuff that they hadn’t been able to talk about before.”

The goal of the event is “to educate, break the silence and bear witness to one issue– violence against women,” center officials said.

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