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Presented by the Center for Hope and Safety in Rochelle Park, "Baring Our Souls" is in its seventh year of placing hundreds of shoes decorated by women living in shelters on display to highlight Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October -- and in doing so providing a voice and art therapy for victims.
The women decorate the shoes -- from children's sneakers to adult high heels -- or write comments or poems alongside them.
The 39-year-old agency — which changed its name last year from Shelter Our Sisters -- focuses on sheltering women and children in moments of crisis and offering support and guidance going forward.
"Shoes are symbolic of women walking and having a journey," said Elaine Meyerson, executive director of The Center for Hope and Safety. "I've seen a woman pick a shoe with five straps and she talks about when he hit her with the five fingers," she said.
"If they want to feel tall, they may choose a high heel, or if they have been running away a lot, they may choose a sneaker," Meyerson said.
"The narratives are very emotional - they tell the story of abuse and then how it is being handled by each individual," said Marta Levy, the art therapist and director of children's programs. "Sometimes we don't even know these things exist in our communities. By looking at these in our own libraries we realize it does exist."
The women have been working with feathers, paint, and glitter. Some shoes indicate where a woman is along in the process, walking out or running away from a situation.
"One month, they may do something darker, and the following month they may use beads and feathers and make it brighter," Meyerson said.
Some shoes are on already on display in Franklin Lakes, Garfield, and Hackensack; then in Bergenfield, Fair Lawn, Fort Lee, Lyndhurst, Mahwah, New Milford. Oradell, Paramus, Teaneck, Westwood in October; and Ramsey and Westwood libraries in November.
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