Golden tears and beauty for ashes for survivors of sexual violence 

Hannah Rose Thomas led trauma-healing art workshops around the world, before being invited to paint stunning portraits of the women she encountered. Her new book and exhibition - launching on International Women’s Day - help to tell their stories.

She explains more 

 
 
My book Tears of Gold, which launches with an exhibition in London on International Women’s Day (8 March), gathers together my portraits of Yazidi women in Iraqi Kurdistan, Rohingya women who fled violence in Myanmar and Nigerian women who survived Boko Haram and Fulani violence.

I had the privilege of meeting many of these women during my time organising trauma-healing art workshops.

In Iraqi Kurdistan and Nigeria, I taught the women how to paint their self-portraits as a way to share their stories. Many of the women chose to paint themselves with glistening tears of gold: this inspired the title of the book.

One young women Aisha, who had suffered rape at the hands of Fulani militants, said that the gold tears symbolised God bestowing on her a crown of beauty instead of ashes; the oil of joy instead of mourning (Isaiah 61:3).  

Living through and surviving sexual violence and forced displacement can be an isolating experience. For many, the act of giving testimony and being heard is essential to making meaning.

However, verbal language is often inadequate to convey the extent of the trauma and experiences that are unspeakable. The story can be expressed and witnessed through art. Research suggests that trauma is ‘articulated’ in an entirely  different language, the language of the nonverbal. Therefore the arts can help to build a bridge between the heart and the mind.

The hope was that these art workshops would create a space that honours the experience and the women’s stories, and for each person to feel seen, valued and heard.

One woman, Charity, who had been kidnapped by Boko Haram and held captive for three years, said, 'I can recount three different times that I was beaten by my husband because I came back with a child. I have told him ‘I haven’t done it out of my own will. I was forced and there was nothing I could do.'

She faces daily rejection and isolation in the Internally Displaced Persons camp in Northern Nigeria due to the stigma surrounding sexual violence. On our last day together for the art project Charity said, 'I am so happy. I have never held a pencil in my life before, and this is the first time I have been able to write my name and even to draw my face!'

After learning to draw and paint for the very first time, the women asked whether I would paint their portraits. It has been a privilege to be trusted to share their stories in this way. These paintings have been displayed alongside the women’s self-portraits in places of influence, such as the Houses of Parliament, to enable their voices to be heard and to advocate on their behalf.
 

Hannah Rose Thomas is the author of Tears of Gold, which is publishes this week. Hannah has travelled to some of the most violent places on earth to meet women affected by war. 

On 8 March, Plough Publishing will launch Hannah's book at a special conference to mark InternationalWomen’s Day.

Through an exhibition of Hannah’s portraits of women from around the world – as featured in her new book – and a programme of seminars and talks from charities including Tearfund, Justice and Care, Sanctuary Foundation and others, those attending will be able to learn more about women affected by conflict around the world, and to ensure that their stories are not forgotten.

The art exhibition and seminars take place at St Mary’s, Wyndham Place, London (W1H 1PQ) from 11am to 8.30pm, and are free to attend.

To find out more about Hannah's work, visit: tearsofgold.co.uk

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