Trigger Warning: Themes of child abuse and sexual trauma

I first discovered the world of 'Art from Suffering' when I was scrolling through my YouTube recommended page and came across a video titles 'Art from Abuse' by the channel 'Shrouded hand'. I usually pride myself of being quite an unshakeable individual, but after watching this I felt genuinely unnerved and distressed. The video delves into the world of pictures drew by children who have been victims of abuse and what common imagery often appears and therefore what this tells phycologists about the mental state and situation of the child who drew them.

Freda Briggs AO, a well-establish child protection advocate and Emeritus Professor, states 'Children who can't talk about abuse may disclose their experiences in art, giving clues for questions to ask'. She comments that recuring themes in these drawings are 'angry colours' such as purple red and black, 'sexual symbols' such as genitalia and depictions of sexual acts involving minors and adults, 'deterioration in body image' such as mouthless, faceless or armless children and 'sad children and grinning offenders. Often abusers are depicted as monstrous creatures with overexaggerated grins and sharp teeth whilst the children usually appear small in stature and solum looking. Bad, stormy weather is another common theme in these drawings, often reflecting the turbulent, upsetting mindset of the victims.

Whilst both depict similar scenes, a family in their garden, you can see the clear difference in the two. The non-abused child includes an abundance of windows and doors in their home which implies they feel free and not trapped in. Their depiction of their family is wholesome, with all members grinning and having all limbs which implies the child sees them as equals. However, the abused child's drawing is much more explicit and unnerving. The victim is presented as much smaller than the smiling abuser and the depiction of the sex act between the two is immensely disturbing.

This is just an introduction into the analysis of children's drawings however I encourage people to research more on the signs and signifiers of abuse in children's art as it gives vulnerable, voiceless children a chance to seek help and speak up on their abuse, even if they cannot use their words.