Tutorial Twitter: FROM THE MOUTHS OF MOTHERS

Last week I went to see FROM THE MOUTHS OF MOTHERS, a powerful and inspiring play created in collaboration with Mosac, a UK charity which supports non-abusing parents and carers of children who have been sexually abused. Created from 14 hours of interviews, the play tells seven true stories from mothers who had discovered that their children had been sexually abused.

Take note of your thoughts and body sensations having read my opening line. This topic immediately creates internal reactions in many and as a result has the ability to silence the opportunity for further discussions to take place due to fear. Art is a great medium to comment on social issues, as it has the ability to inform and highlight whilst tapping into your senses and emotions in ways that television or newspapers can’t. You are absorbed in the moment which you have to stay with. A moment that is not broken by an ad break or turning a page to see a new story.

Amanda Stuart-Fisher, London based Playwright and senior lecturer at Central School of Speech and Drama. Amanda began devising this play in 2007. Six years later and the awareness of sexual abuse is prominent within our society more so than ever before partly due to the Jimmy Saville case that shocked us all. According to statistics ONE IN FOUR children will have experienced abuse under the age of 18, which is a shocking statistic. In my opinion this play has come at the right time, this issue cannot be brushed under the carpet any more and I believe society is ready to face up to the hidden known.

Lights up! Seated in a semi-circle are six women, they look uncomfortable/ nervous. The pace is slow. Information is brief. The ticking clock insinuates time is dragging. The sense is that everyone is reluctant to speak. The lights dim and a spotlight shines on one of the mothers. She opens up and begins to talk about her young daughter, as she does so she turns directly to the audience. This is a Brechtian technique, a technique that reminds us, the audience that although we are watching a play in a theatre, it is one that is also educating us on the injustices in society.

One women broke her silence and the pace soon after changed as the other women began revealing more about their experiences. Their story was given to us piece by piece which mirrored how they gathered the story, eventually seeing the whole picture. Intuition was a word, feeling that all the mothers expressed in various stages of the re-telling of their experiences. How do you prove intuition? Was a question I asked myself, whilst making a promise that I will never doubt myself in anything ever again. If it doesn't feel right it probably isn't.

Noise and visuals were also used, which heightened each individuals expressions to such a profound extent that surprised me. It was as though the semi-circle had extended beyond the stage and circled around me, enveloping me more intimately into their stories. I was transported into their counselling room, this safe place where people are heard, not judged and listened too with empathy and I felt the audience also mirrored this as observers. These are conditions that may not be present within society.

My mind flashed back to conversations I over heard after Jimmy Saville was exposed as a prolific paedophile. The two words that I heard over and over again were “Why now?” in regards to the numerous people who disclosed after he died. Disclosure very rarely happens at the time the abuse takes place. Fear, self-blame and judgement are just some of the reasons coupled with emotional blackmail and so much more. Sexual abuse is not clear cut and society and its systems can appear heartless with victims on just about every level, in my opinion. Around me I heard crying, sniffles saw reassuring hugs and passing of tissues, everyone was affected. Although hard to hear this medium may be the only way for people to truly understand the impact and the failures.

The lights dim.The session is over. One by one the mothers leave, heading back to their individual reality, but not before expressing their, frustration, hope, despair and acceptance of this life sentence which they were all facing and willing to work through, in their own way.

Authentic, ground breaking, insightful, powerful and necessary. By using verbatim from mothers who have gone through this experience enabled them to have a voice and enabled us, the audience to see a full picture of the impact sexual abuse has on the child and non- abusing parent for the first time. Through the different stories we quickly gather where the common failures lie. The legal, health and social systems have to change and the accessibility to porn at a young age also needs to be seriously looked into, as young children are watching and emulating and abusing other children. Technology has catapulted over the last decade and our systems and procedures haven’t caught up as fast.

I also think it is imperative that parents and people working with children need to know the signs and symptoms of abuse. I think young people are demonised very quickly when they display a change in behaviour. That display could be an external display of something much bigger. In order to help these vulnerable people, those in helping, caring and teaching positions have to be provided with the tools and knowledge. The information is out there but it is not being utilised to effectively help those who need it.

“Children should be seen and not heard”. How many of you have heard this old saying? It is important to listen and observe children. Never shut them down. Pay attention as they may be trying to tell you something. “I know that Daddy has got wee wee and milk in his willy” said Emily to her mother in the play. I think you would agree that this doesn't sound right. Emily is 4 years old.

This is one play that bravely reveals true experiences in order for voices to be heard. However the intention branches out causing awareness to be heightened, further discussions on how systems can be changed for better protection and justice achieved for victims. This play would also work well as a visual educational tool for social workers, the police and judges especially, but everyone can and will benefit from being exposed to the reality of what is happening and has been happening within society.

FROM THE MOUTHS OF MOTHERS is a mother’s account of sexual abuse, however it is important to acknowledge that women, siblings, grandparents, anyone regardless of race, class or creed can be an abuser. This play is not painting a one -sided picture, but merely providing a voice to one segment of a bigger picture, with intertwined themes, emotions and struggles.

From this play I take away…

The power of observation

The power of intuition

The power of knowledge and insight

Art as communication, therapy and social change

and

It’s never to late to learn to see and hear.

For more information and resources on this topic please visit Mosac