The Shoe Project - Brigham and Women`s Hospital

The Shoe Project
The Shoe Project is a collection of shoes
illustrating the journeys faced by
domestic violence survivors.
We invited survivors, advocates and
health care providers
to decorate shoes to represent the impact
domestic violence has had on their lives.
We created this project to inspire healing
and create awareness of this major
public health problem.
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Shoe Project
My Life
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
When I was going
through domestic
violence, I felt
helpless. I felt as
though I had to endure
it, had to fight. I was
fearful, I was hurt, I felt
like dirt. He was a
dog…he stole from
me. He made me feel
sad and I felt nervous.
Day by day, I took
responsibility to tell
myself that I’m worth
it, and I had to be at
peace…
The Shoe Project
Stepping
Forward into
the Light
My shoe represents how I have seen clients
leave their abuse and darkness behind
and step forward towards a positive
direction in their lives. They have shed
tears when telling their stories to me,
being called “crazy” and “worthless.”
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Shoe Project
Pero la realidad es muy
diferente. Nadie sabe
realmente como luzco
en mi interior, como
me siento realmente y
que realmente esta
pasando en mi
vida. Maneje siempre
niveles de angustia,
inseguridad y
desesperanza muy
altos, pero eso nadie lo
notaba. Al menos eso
creí yo.
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Shoe Project
In addition to the words describing survivor’s
experiences as they share them with us are words
that describe the type of work advocates do with
clients at Passageway: safety planning, risk
assessment, counseling, referrals, exploring
options, and accompaniment. Running
throughout my shoe are purple vines that I think
of as representing the innate strength of the
survivors we work with.
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Shoe Project
My Shoe
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
It was important for me
to put “Chance” in
front of the shoe, not
only for me, but for
everyone out there.
Know that there are
chances in life that
one can take to get
out of that
relationship and it’s
never too late before
something worse
happens.
The Shoe Project
Dorothy did everything the system asked,
except stay in shelter. She told me that she
was tired of running. She wanted to sleep in
her own bed, go to her own coffee shop,
keep her kids in their school, and keep her
job and friends. Like Dorothy Gale, my
Dorothy also felt “there was no place like
home” for her.
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Shoe Project
Quisiera hablar acerca de un zapato que
decoreė. Lo escogí así como lo hice
porque me sentí relacionada con el. Ya
que estoy pasando por una situación
real con depresión, tristeza y
desencanto, la violencia domestica.
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Shoe Project
Walk in My Shoes
My mommy was afraid.
Now she is not afraid.
Mommy left her batterer.
I'm here because
she loves me.
I feel safe!
~Anonymous,
6 year old girl
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Shoe Project
Después fue cambiando
y se “enfermó” con la
computadora y las
mujeres. Las
imagines de mujeres y
el hombre en la
computadora
representan esta
etapa de mi vida que
me afectó tanto... Pero
me pude recuperar
con la ayuda que
busqué de
Passageway...
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Shoe Project
Finally a hand
holds me
My lips are no
longer sealed
I’ve never felt
so free
I’m ready to fly
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Shoe Project
My Shoe Life
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
Try to find that
inner strength
that’s there, but
somehow it got
covered with
layers of abuse.
It’s never too late to
go back to that
other life one
previously had.
The Shoe Project
This outer appearance
depicts Mrs. Shoe’s
spirit, her aspirations,
and her dream. This is
the state that she
naturally wants to be.
But she is bogged
down by her reality.
She lives in a dark
world, always feeling
caged, chained all
around.
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
Mrs. Shoe
The Shoe Project
My Wedding Shoe
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The clippings you see
on the shoe remind
me of my bouquet,
the wedding cake,
trying on the
wedding dress, and
the honeymoon. I
wish for every
woman to find the
best partner in their
lives.
The Clothesline Project
The Clothesline Project is a national
project where people come together
to bear witness to violence against
women by creating t-shirts with
art and inspiring messages.
The following are some examples
created by survivors and providers
of the Brigham & Women’s
community.
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Clothesline Project
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Clothesline Project
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Clothesline Project
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Clothesline Project
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Clothesline Project
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Clothesline Project
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Clothesline Project
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service
The Clothesline Project
Passageway
Honoring Survivors Service