Sian Claire Owen: Michelle Major talks about domestic violence: Part Two

In the second part of my interview with Michelle Major, an artist and public speaker who advocates survivors of domestic abuse, Michelle talks about how she used the Internet as an effective way of raising awareness of domestic abuse, and educating women on the warning signs of an abusive relationship.

How important is it to raise awareness of domestic violence?
I did not grow up in a violent home and was never exposed to the ugly world of domestic violence, so when I was being swept off my feet by this romantic yet dominating man I had no idea about the warning signs.

I think it is crucial to educate teenagers about what the definition of real love and caring actually is. I have been teaching for eighteen years and I have seen so many young girls be tricked by that illusion of romance coupled with the traits of possessiveness and jealousy disguised as love.

Girls need to understand that when a boy checks their phone messages and punches a locker because the girl is talking to another boy—this is not love. There is nothing special about being a possession. I believe there is a HUGE need for education.

Control and abuse comes in so many forms other than physical, many forms are subtle and are often misconstrued as other things.

What inspired you to use the Internet to display your work and reach out to other women?
I had always used the Internet as a means to display my artwork, so it seemed only natural to use it as a way to tell my story.

I feel that my story is very powerful because to the slashing of ninety-four of my paintings. I realized the more people in my community view my butchered artwork, the wider the door becomes for another abused woman to come forward and tell her story.

My strength to come out from behind those societal taboo doors of domestic abuse allows others to open up and start the healing process.

I realized that each time I shared my story an impact was made on someone, be it a mother who told me her daughter was being abused, or a woman who told me about a past marriage where she was hurt and has never fully healed, or a woman who told me her mother was beaten daily and she grew up watching this happen.

As an artist, putting hurt on canvas helped heal my wounds quicker than any other therapy, and I have realized that is a powerful tool to help other women heal by sharing their story.

The more a woman opens up and talks about her own personal experiences past or present, the more scope there is for healing.

You also use social networking sites such as Facebook to engage directly with other people. How useful have you found this?

So many people have a story to tell, and when someone else has been there and knows what abuse feels like, knows what terror feels like, and ultimately knows what survival feels like - hope can be found there.

People commiserate and feel empathetic to a survivor of domestic violence, yet no one can truly say "I know how you feel. I understand what you are going through" unless they have experienced that trauma.

Facebook and other social networking sites are the ultimate catalyst for sharing and healing. The internet can reach into the nooks and crannies of the world and touch more people than our minds could possibly fathom.

The bottom line of my story is - if that woman can do it, get out, leave the abuse, survive and begin to actually live life after almost dying at her husband's hands—maybe, just maybe, I can too.

Although personally I may never meet each woman who sees my artwork, views my website, or views my posts on domestic violence forums, what a woman takes away may be her own safety, or even life.