Suncoast Center, Inc. hosted its annual exhibit, Art Heals, which featured powerful pieces of art created by survivors of sexual violence.
Courtesy of Kelah Lehart | The Crow’s Nest
By Kelah Lehart
In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Suncoast Center, Inc. hosted its annual exhibit, Art Heals, which featured powerful pieces of art created by survivors of sexual violence.
The purpose of the exhibit was to provide a platform for survivors to bravely share their stories and raise awareness about sexual assault.
“Art is something that we look at. We see it and we perceive it, but we can read their statement and know what they’re trying to say,” said Jillian Kinney, an outpatient therapist at Suncoast Center, Inc. “The display of art brings awareness. It shows the violence they’ve experienced, and it shows what’s going on with them, which generally society doesn’t want to face.”
As a part of the healing process, survivors can process their experiences through creative artwork using a variety of mediums that can be therapeutic, instill hope and serve as a strong reminder of human resilience.
“Creating art allows the survivors to express their emotions and the story of their trauma without having to use words,” Kinney said. “It’s very therapeutic for them. They’re able to get it out and tell their story in a way that is meaningful to them.”
The exhibit featured multiple mediums including drawings, paintings, poems and sculptures done by the survivors, whose names were kept anonymous. Each piece was accompanied by a label of the artist’s age and gender, including the work’s title and a description of the art piece.
“It’s very impactful and validating for survivors when people come to see the exhibit and see their stories that they want to share,” Kinney said. “It’s just spreading that awareness because the pieces really speak for themselves.”
Suncoast Center, Inc. is a non-profit organization that holds the certification of Pinellas County’s Rape Crisis Center, accredited through the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence. They provide education on prevention as well as a variety of services for victims of sexual assault and other traumatic experiences. Other services they provide include mental health, substance abuse, family counseling, trauma assessment, counseling/therapy and suicide prevention.
The exhibit also included statistics about sexual violence reported in America that was located at the entrance.
According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network), which is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization:
- Every 68 seconds an American is sexually assaulted.
- 433,648 Americans 12 years and older are sexually assaulted or raped each year.
- 1 out of every 6 American women have been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed, 2.8% attempted).
- About 3% of American men—or 1 in 33—have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.
- From 2009-2013, Child Protective Services agencies substantiated, or found strong evidence to indicate that, 63,000 children per year were victims of sexual abuse.
- 66% of child victims of sexual assault and rape are ages 12-17, and 34% are under age 12.
- 18,900 members of the military reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact each year.
The Art Heals exhibit has taken many different forms over the years. The CEO of Suncoast Center, Inc. mentioned that the event was orchestrated back in 2001 and has been hosted annually since then at many different locations.
Suncoast Center, Inc. has initiated their third year in hosting Art Heals at the ArtsXchange Tully-Levine gallery in the Warehouse Arts District, located at 515 22nd St. S.
Barbra E. Daire, CEO of Suncoast Center, Inc. expressed the importance of spreading awareness and the necessity of conversations about sexual violence — to acknowledge that it happens to friends and family and to respect everyone who comes forth about their experiences.
“It’s really important for us to get the word out that, if this happens to someone, it’s not their fault, and that getting help is really important,” Daire said. “People keep this as a secret for many years in their life and we want them to heal from it and have a full and happy life. We want them to come to us because we can provide them the services, they need in order to heal through their trauma.”
Daire noted that everyone should educate themselves on the services that are available in the community and learn as much as they can to prevent sexual assault.
“Think of your sisters, your brothers, your parents, your friends, everyone you know,” Daire said. “Be kind, considerate and open. Ask people how they’re doing and if they want to share something like this with you. Listen to them and don’t be judgmental. Be supportive, when they don’t want to talk with you and then give them the number where they can call to get help.”
Kinney added that believing survivors about what happened is an important step to support them and help prevent future instances of sexual abuse.
“When someone does come to you and tells you what happened, it’s important to believe them,” Kinney said. “We need to always believe in the survivors of what happened to them.”
The exhibit will be open to the public until May 3. The art displayed can also be seen virtually through the Suncoast Center, Inc website.
For more information go to https://www.suncoastcenter.org/sexual-assault-services.
If you or someone you know needs help, call 727.388.1220.
For the 24hr Sexual Assault Helpline call 727.530.7273.
For the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline call 800.273.8255.
