Exhibition shines a light on 'knots' of complex childhood trauma

The display - a collection of poems, messages and drawings created on pieces of children's clothing - was brought together to mark Blue Knot Day and this year has the theme Untangle the Knots of Complex Trauma.

This is the 10th annual event held by the Blue Knot Foundation, which works towards recognising the complexity of trauma faced by those who have experienced childhood abuse and looks at ways to support adult survivors of this childhood trauma.

The Blue Knot Foundation's symbol of a tangled knot was created to symbolise the complexity of childhood trauma. Blue is the colour of the sky and a clear blue sky provides the space for new possibilities, according to the foundation.

Leah Anderson, trauma specialist counsellor at the Wagga Women's Health Centre, described the Blue Knot exhibition as a chance for people to use their voice, while staying anonymous.

"It's getting the message out about what it's like to be a person who has experienced trauma," she said.

"Blue Knot is around adult survivors of child sexual assault, so it's looking at 'how have they travelled their journey?' and 'what's the message they want to get out?'."

Ms Anderson said there were messages of bravery and courage, but also of wanting people to know what the experience was and "how we can prevent that from happening again".

"I believe we are getting better at hearing the message. We've got to work on our responses and how we take those messages and move forward, but we are getting better at hearing it, which is really great," she said.

Ms Anderson said the display was about raising awareness about what was still occurring in the community.

"This is still happening and we want those people who are feeling silenced to have their voices heard," she said.

"How do we help them? How do we support them? How do we give them a voice?"

According to Blue Knot data, Australia has five million adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse, which is also known as complex trauma.

In 2011-12, of the 170,000 notifications of suspected cases of child abuse and neglect reported, 46 per cent were further investigated, according to figures obtained by the Blue Knot Foundation.

About 37,800 of these cases were substantiated, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare statistics show, an increase from 31,500 the previous year.

Emotional abuse was the most common, followed by neglect and physical abuse. The statistics found that girls were more likely to be the subject of a substantiated sexual abuse claim than boys.

Emma Creasy, the financial support worker from the Wagga Women's Health Centre, said the use of children's clothing in the display was a "really relevant way of getting the message across" that sexual abuse of children was occurring in the community.

"It's just giving them the opportunity to voice what has happened to them and also the way they have come through that," she said.

"It's anonymous, but it's allowed them to express it in a way that is really quite cathartic and it gives them a way to let the community know they can be heard.

"If people are walking past and they see this, it also gives them the opportunity to step forward and say 'wow, I'm not alone' and there's places I can get support from."

After hanging outside all day on Monday, the Blue Knot exhibition will be housed inside the Wagga Women's Health Centre in Peter Street.

The Wagga Women's Health Centre works with women to untangle the knots of complex trauma and develop ways to manage the impacts from the trauma that they face.

For support, women can contact the Wagga Women's Health Centre on 6921 333, the Blue Knot Helpline on 1300 657 380, or Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia on 1800 424 017.