Ten NCJW BCS Members Participated at the YWCA Bergen County Healingspace Clothesline Project

Messages from Survivors

Some are angry, some are hopeful; all are part of the healing process.

A Child lost forever.
No-one heard her cries.
Alone, Scarred, and Re-abused.
I’ve found the courage to heal and survive.

No More Second Chances
Your Anger is NOT My Fault
Be Responsible for Your Actions
You Have NO Power over Me

On September 13^th 2017, ten members participated at the Clothesline Project, a day to raise community awareness of violence against women, men, and children and to demonstrate support for survivors.

NCJW BCS is a long-time supporter of this project, now in its 20^th year.  Peggy Kabakow proudly wore her t-shirt and silver pin from the 15^th annual clothesline project. We were all moved by the survivors’ messages on their t-shirts and the devastating impact of sexual assault on their lives. Some were angry; some were hopeful.  All were part of the healing process.

We were inspired as Maureen Shaw read her essay Find Your Voice and Carry a Big Sign about her journey from overcoming sexual assault as a teen to becoming an outspoken activist, writer, and mother. New Jersey Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg and Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, both NCJW life members and recipients of the Hannah G. Solomon award, emphasized the New Jersey legislative and policy advances to protect survivors of sexual assault and their hope that one day the need for this project would at least diminish, if not disappear.

L-R: Christine Ordway and Helen Archontou, Board Member and CEO of the YWCA Bergen County, with NCJW members Sue Kanrich, Bari-Lynne Schwartz, Estelle Greene, and Ilene Wechter.

Click each photo to enlarge.