Youngsters help create book highlighting domestic abuse and unhealthy relationships

Youngsters have helped create a new book on experiences of living with domestic abuse and unhealthy relationships.
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Children aged 11 to 14 who attend sessions led by Creative Youth Opportunities, in Seaham, are amongst those who have helped write six fictional stories for a new book ‘Sometimes It Hurts’. The book captures their experiences of domestic violence, neglect, divorce, and unhealthy, controlling behaviours – either in the home or in their own relationships.

The book is part of a project by the arts education company, Changing Relations, based in Bishop Auckland which uses the arts to explore issues around often taboo subjects, such as domestic violence, gender stereotypes and men’s mental health issues.

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The idea of the book was to allow the children to share their stories to encourage others to seek help so they don’t feel alone.

Changing Relations' book 'Sometimes it hurts'.Changing Relations' book 'Sometimes it hurts'.
Changing Relations' book 'Sometimes it hurts'.

Michelle Harland, chief executive of Creative Youth Opportunities, who ran the sessions with the youngsters, said: “There were tears from some when they read their stories in the book, in a good way, in that they hoped it would act as a positive opportunity for others to open up about their stories and create their own scrapbooks.

"They were very keen for their teachers to read the stories so they would have a better understanding of the challenges children sometimes face outside of the classroom.”

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Lisa Charlotte Davis, managing director of Changing Relations said: “In Sometimes It Hurts, the children helped write fictional narratives, creating the characters and situations, but in doing so, they gave voice to their own experiences of neglect and abuse. This way of working, by using the arts, is far more impactful than us simply telling them what a healthy and unhealthy relationship looks like.”

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Changing Relations’ artistic director, Pollyanna Turner, led the artistic team including writer Bridget Hamilton, illustrator Tamsin Rees and animator Sheryl Jenkins, to create the book and accompanying animation.

The book will now be used as a resource for teachers, social workers and youth workers, with different Talking Points at the end of each story.

The project was made possible thanks to funding by the Arts Council England, Bishop Auckland and Shildon Area Action Partnership, Stanley Area Action Partnership, Gaunless Gateway Big local, National Lottery, Digital Drive and Digital Boost.

For more information about the book visit https://changingrelations.co.uk/our-work/sometimes-it-hurts/

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