BARBARA SINATRA CHILDREN'S CENTER BRINGS "OVERCAME: ART OF THE ABUSED CHILD" EXHIBIT TO THE PETERSBURG AREA ARTS LEAGUE STARTING NOV. 11

First-Of-Its-Kind Exhibit Features Creative Work by Child Abuse Victims in Art Therapy

Supermodel Beverly Johnson Will Attend as a Special Guest at PAAL Members-Only Grand Opening Nov. 10

PETERSBURG, Va., Oct. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eighty-four (84) pieces of original art, each created by a victim of child abuse as they underwent art therapy to help overcome their harrowing experiences, will be on display at the Petersburg Area Arts League (PAAL) in Petersburg, Virginia from November 11 to November 30. 

"Overcame: Art of The Abused Child" is presented by The Barbara Sinatra Children's Center (BSCC) – one of the nation's foremost treatment, education, research and resource centers for child abuse prevention. The Petersburg experience marks the second stop for the traveling exhibit, which is believed to be the first-of-its-kind in the nation; it premiered in Vanderbilt Hall inside Grand Central Terminal in New York City in July. The exhibit is a deeply personal, immersive experience and part of BSCC's fightchildabuse.org initiative. 

Beverly Johnson, the first Black model to be featured on the cover of Vogue magazine and a BSCC Board member, will be a special guest for the PAAL members-only opening of the exhibit on Thursday, Nov. 10.

"This is a powerful and poignant showcase of innocence lost and, at the same time, an insightful and inspiring story of courage demonstrated by these boys and girls as they emerged from their horrific ordeals," said John Thoresen, BSCC CEO. "We're honored that the Petersburg Area Arts League wanted to partner with us to illuminate these stories for its general public."

Bill Nicholson, the Petersburg resident who sits on the Board of both BSCC and PAAL, echoed these sentiments, adding that, "When I saw the exhibit in New York, I was filled with so many different emotions – from rage at what far too many children in this country and globally have gone through at the hands of their perpetrators to relief that they are overcoming their abuse and are able to express themselves in a way that will resonate with those who come to experience the exhibit. I felt it was imperative that PAAL be the next site for it."

Filled with art dating back to as early as 1987, pieces range from the written word and clear illustrations of a memory to more metaphorical, abstract displays of emotion. The 1,500 square-foot exhibit also includes a private, safe space for reflection and discussion.

The exhibit will be open to the public November 11 – 30 at 7 E Old St, Petersburg, VA 23803 and aims to raise awareness of the alarming prevalence of child abuse. As many as one in five girls and one in 20 boys are sexually abused by age 18, and 90% of all incidents are committed by someone in a trusting relationship with the child, according to the BSCC.

About the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center: Founded in 1986 by Barbara and Frank Sinatra, the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center is dedicated to ensuring every child's right to a normal, healthy and secure childhood. Since its creation, about 25,000 children have received outpatient mental health and counseling services at the Center. The Center provides individual, group, and family therapy and special programs that address issues associated with children suffering the effects of child abuse and neglect. An estimated 700 children are counseled annually on an outpatient basis, and no child is ever turned away because of a family's inability to pay. For more information, visit BarbaraSinatraChildrensCenter.org. An animated video series, funded by the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center Foundation, has reached over 100 million children worldwide and generated over 55 million individual and group viewings on YouTube throughout the United States and abroad.

SOURCE The Barbara Sinatra Children's Center