Learn the Not-So-Silent Signs of Child Abuse

In spite of all global campaigns that aim to prevent child abuse, there still are parents and caregivers who turn their backs on their own kids. If you’ve come across the “Welcome to My Neighborhood” illustrated book, it means that you’ve already heard a few dramatic stories of seriously neglected children. But the drama of abused, maltreated, offended or mocked youth continues; still millions of them get lost in a toxic world created by irresponsible adults, a place where all their hopes and dreams inevitably come to a chaotic end.

Many of these children speak about their nightmarish world, but they rather choose to not express their disturbing experiences vocally. They do it visually, hiding clues of their tragic fate in their classroom paintings. Oftentimes, these hints that can save their lives go unnoticed by adults.

To make grown-ups see the bigger picture of a child’s drawing, non-profit organization Amigos For Kids partnered with Republica, one of America’s leading and fastest-growing independent agencies, and created the “Broken Crayons” art gallery, an original installation that showcases artwork created by abused younglings.

For four days, visitors were given a chance to admire the art collection that stood right in the heart of Miami Art Week. “With an international attendance of more than 160,000 people, Miami Art Week was a perfect backdrop to launch Broken Crayons as we bring to light the painful reality of child abuse,” commented Jorge A. Plasencia, co-founder, chairman, and CEO of the Miami-based agency.

This wasn’t another ordinary display of some cute pictures; the illustrations included various hidden clues of scarring abuse. Although not visible at first, an audible gasp helps the art-goers understand the symbolism behind the drawings’ curtain and allows them to gradually discover what they are really looking at.

The art show ended in an eye-opening multi-platform campaign in which the main focus lies on a two-and-a-half-minute-long video. The sole purpose of the video is to spark conversation among the public about the unpleasant experiences many children around the world have to endure and what grown-ups can do to stop these nightmares from developing.

The effort to raise awareness about this problem continues online at BrokenCrayons.us, an interactive website that hosts the darkness-filled artwork. Similar to the real gallery, the virtual one allows users to admire the sinister works of art. Then swipe between the drawings, discover the hidden signs, and reflect upon the gloomy universe of such little artists. Most importantly, the site offers a series of questions the kids should be asked about their paintings.

Moreover, the online section kindly asks viewers to become a part of the initiative by sharing the PSA and help other people learn the often-unnoticed signs of child abuse.

The showcased art is provided by the University of South Australia, courtesy of renowned child protection expert, Dr. Elspeth McInnes, who, after years of research, discovered that many paintings contained hidden messages about maltreatment.

“Throughout my research, I’ve found a growing library of children’s drawings which upon further examination have pointed to abuse,” she explained. “Sometimes all it takes to prevent child abuse is awareness of its many signs. Therefore, the works presented in the Broken Crayons campaign represent an important step forward to ending this tragic trend,” the expert added. Let’s hope it won’t be needed much…