The Broxtowe Women’s Project, launched their White Ribbon exhibition at the Beeston Canalside Heritage centre today as part of the national campaign by White Ribbon.org.
The Broxtowe Women’s Project are a charity based in Nottingham, help women living in the Borough of Broxtowe who are experiencing domestic abuse. They provide a confidential helpline, outreach service, training courses and drop in sessions, all aimed at empowering women and to help them survive domestic abuse.
Their White Ribbon exhibition features poetry, photography and installation art that aims to get people talking about domestic abuse. It is also helping to generate awareness of the dangers of technology and how it can play a vital role in a controlling relationship.
Many of the pieces have been created by women who have survived Domestic Abuse and use art to reflect on and process their experiences.
In addition to the pieces is a painting by local artist Matthew Lyons of Councillor Richard MacRae, which features him wearing a white ribbon to spotlight his commitment to the campaign.
The collection has been inspired by the theme of this year’s White Ribbon day campaign which is on Friday 25 November and ties in with Safeguarding Adults Week 2022 theme for the Friday which is tech enabled abuse and discusses how technology can allow and empower domestic abusers.
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A survivor of Domestic Abuse supported by Broxtowe Women’s Project created some statuettes depicting technological abuse, inspired by this year’s Adult Safeguarding Week, ‘Responding to Contemporary Safeguarding’.
She said: “I was always told by my perpetrator, I know where you are, and I know what you’re doing. I was ruled a lot by an iPhone. Reality kicked in with me when my ex brought an Apple Watch, he told me to attach my phone to it, I said ‘No’ and he got so angry. I realised he wanted control of my whole life, my bank, my friends who rang me, my texts, my prescriptions, everything, and all it would have took is for him to have my iCloud and password! “Technology is very powerful but in the hands of an abuser it’s extremely dangerous!”
The exhibition also featured artwork taken from Sandra Reddish’s book – One in Four Women, which covers all the main features of domestic abuse of women by men. Topics such as trauma bonding, narcissistic abuse, coercive control, financial and sexual abuse, stalking and harassment are all covered. It highlights how new technology changes some of the methods used and gives the abuser many more tools to abuse.
The exhibition is free to visit from 3 – 29 November and you can find out more about how to visit here at Broxtowe Women’s Project website.