Using Art to raise awareness of GBV….16 Days of Activism! Action Step 6

AFTER a two day coaching on how to use art to tell stories on Gender Based Violence, 18 participants in got down to business to use drawings to tell stories of violence against women and children. Participants sat in a circle and first shared their stories and supported each other as a way of opening up to beginning the healing process. The story circle created a platform for them to start to talk about gender based violence in the community and how it impact on women and children. Participants also drew images of their discussion. The images presented focused on women trafficking, physical, financial and psychological abuse. Participants revealed that the stories they were presenting were based on what they had heard, seen or read about in the newspapers. “This is what is happening around us,” one of the participants said. Nomalisa Ndebele, one of the participants drew a picture that portrayed a couple, Andrew and Lisa. The couple had a blissful relationship and used to share bank cards and credit cards. When they broke up Andrew ‘punished’ Lisa by withdrawing all her servings from the bank. He also borrowed a lot of things using Lisa’s credit cards.