Shoppers at the Carbon Plaza Mall on Thursday saw something a little out of sorts.

Between the entrances of Giant and the Zoo Health Club stood a clothesline filled with eight green and blue shirts that each had different messages painted on them.The messages and images included depictions of a butterfly, tree and skeleton, as well as words like self-hate, depression, love, safe and survivor.The display, put up by the Victims Resource Center of Northeast Pennsylvania, was part of the international campaign Clothesline Project to raise awareness of sexual violence in the community and promote April as Sexual Violence Awareness Month.Tammy Sue Neff, counselor advocate for the center, said this was the first time the organization put the clothesline display up in Carbon County. They have done shoe displays with victims’ stories attached to a shoe, most recently at Palmerton Hospital this week.“This is happening everywhere and survivors are out there,” Neff said, noting that each of the shirts were created by actual survivors of sexual violence. “The goal of this project is to make a person stop and think and put themselves in these victims’ positions.”She said this type of crime is not just a problem for women.“It doesn’t matter what you look like and what gender you are,” Neff said. “Sexual violence can happen to anyone. It’s a problem that we have to try and stop.”Sexual violence, which many believe is strictly acts of unwanted sexual contact, can be a number of things, from learned attitudes and beliefs that dehumanize and objectify one gender; to sexual harassment, unwanted touching, rape, or the extremes of sexual and genital mutilation and death.The problem is in today’s society, behaviors and attitudes and the lack of people speaking out against these behaviors are driving the notion that unwanted sexual advances are OK and are partially contributing to the number of rapes and more violent sexual abuse cases.Approximately 100 children and adults living in Carbon County are victims of sexual assault annually and helped by the Victims Resource Center.And statistics show that one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually assaulted by the time they turn 18, Neff said, adding that this figure may be low because some children may not tell someone they are being touched inappropriately because they are afraid or think it is normal.“Eighty-five percent of the kids who are victims are molested by people they know,” she said. “Someone they trust.”Neff said the Victims Resource Center is there to help these victims and urged people who know a loved one or friend has been assaulted to make that first call to the center’s 24-hour hotline.“Help is available,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to call us. It just takes that one phone call instead of living with that secret to begin the healing process.”The Victims Resource Center, which serves Luzerne, Carbon and Wyoming counties, offers free and confidential crisis and support counseling to victims of any crime, can accompany them through the legal process, go with them to the hospital for the rape exam, provide information and referrals and help them file reimbursement claims if they experience out-of-pocket costs as a result of their assault.“We help them heal. We don’t make them talk about the details,” Neff said. “What we do is find out what feelings they are having and help them cope with those feelings. We help them through their healing journey.”For more information on the Victims Resource Center, visit

www.vrcnepa.org.To seek help through the 24-hour hotline, call 610-379-0151.“If you know someone who was victimized, give them our number,” Neff said. “That first call is a very important step to regaining control of your life.”