A person close to me asked why choose domestic violence as the platform for the art I create and the charity work I promote with Bravery Project. Her understanding was that there are many causes out there which are just as important, such as serious health issues. Producing art will not stop some jerk from beating on this wife...she still made choices. Those with health issues, like cancer and congenital deformities, did not choose their fate. After a deep breath, this inquiry became an important opportunity to teach.
There have been individuals who have asked for art to help other causes via Bravery Project, and it was seriously considered. Although there are many important causes in our communities, let alone the world, domestic abuse is one such cause that produces some very interesting challenges. We are talking about human nature and an omnipresent social disease that is highly misunderstood, misrepresented, and underserved.
To be clear, Bravery Project, is about education and awareness of WHAT, WHO, and HOW domestic abuse happens. We can't force abusers to stop abusing and victims to leave, but we can encourage people to think differently about this issue. Instead of seeing the abuse as a private problem and acceptable in some cases, we prove time and again that it's a common and expensive community issue. The vast numbers of survivors who have shared their stories (portrait or not) prove that ignorance prevails. When people see the faces and read the stories from the survivor's own words, they learn something new. What they learn encourages them to have open discussion, listen to someone in need, provide a number for a victim, step in when they see that child being hit by a parent, report negligence at a nursing home. In otherwords, have compassion and take action.
In the past 11 days, 8 domestic violence deaths have been reported just in Maricopa County--two of them were children. Were they preventable? Possibly. Suppose the neighbors heard or suspected something and reported possible child abuse....would those children still be alive? What if a friend or acquaintance, gave the woman a number to call and told her she deserves better, would she still be alive?
If people shake their heads at a victim and think she made the choice to marry him, they must expect that she saw the signs and consciously decided, "Hey, in about two years, this guy will break my ribs, scar my face, and put me into the hospital...I think I will marry him and have his children so he can use and abuse them too." Obviously, we know this isn't reality, but turning our backs on victims as "they asked for it...they choose it" is saying exactly that.
Taking out personal responsibility from the health realm is dubious at best. Although scientists have detected a breast cancer gene, that doesn't excuse a person's lifestyle from encouraging the cancer to develop. The best way to reduce cancer incidences is to educate the population about good lifestyle habits. This is no different when it comes to domestic violence and abuse. People must be educated on what it means and what to do, whether it's to get help or to help someone else. We understand that she couldn't possibly know he will cause her to miscarriage in 12 months because he will beat her belly...any more than we can expect the neighbors who hear his rage and her cries to know the best way to handle a "domestic disturbance." We must allieviate this fear of stepping out and sharing stories and stepping out to help another through education. The Bravery Project way is to give a voice to survivors so THEY can teach from their own experiences.
This is just one of the things that Bravery Project does and with collaboration in the community, we will do together.
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