@ Riverside Art Museum

January 2 – January 28, 2014

The Sound of Hope is an art therapy project by
 Operation SafeHouse’s survivors of human trafficking.



The Sound of Hope came as an outcome from the many art therapy sessions we have
with survivors. It was stated best by Joan Turkus, M.D., when she said “It is
 so difficult to put the complexities of the trauma recovery process into
words – artwork does this much better!”



Each art therapy medium is carefully selected to support giving voice to the
survivor’s experience. While they may not be able to put what they feel into
words, viewing their work in front of them is something else
entirely-something that can lead to their healing and remind them of hope in
their journey so far. 


Each sex trafficking survivor that chose to participate was given a record. The record serves as a symbol of music, someone’s poetic story of an
experience in their life or a hope of what is to come.  We encouraged the
survivors to see their medium, the record, as a symbol of their journey and
their hope, as their story is not yet over.

The survivors’ works you see are all made by those recovered from sex
slavery and are aged ranging from 15 to 29 years. Each of them has expressed the
sound of their hope, the things that keep them going, and their battle to
claim their life back after slavery. 

It is our hope to restore dignity and hope to those it has been stolen from.