Inverness artist Reina Edmiston brings her work at the Scottish Parliament in bid to raise awareness on needs of domestic abuse survivors
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AN Inverness artist is using her artwork to raise awareness on the impact of legislation on domestic abuse victims.
In October, Reina Edmiston (34) took her exhibition “Is Your Name Here?” to Holyrood to raise awareness on support needed by victims of sexual and domestic violence during the cost of living crisis.
Ms Edmiston, who works at Mikeysline as a funding and grants officer, said that she wanted to let MSPs and other politicians know how the laws they debate in parliament can impact victims.
She said: "What I asked to the MSPs I spoke to, is to consider victims of domestic abuse in every emergency bill that is pushed through at the moment.
"Everyone was very responsive about it. I don't believe that anyone in politics wants to make lives of victims harder, but when they vote, they need to think how the new legislation will impact them.
One recent example, she said, is the emergency bill on rent freeze, which was being debated during the exhibition.
She said that it was really important to avoid victims who just fled a house with an abusive partner to be forced to go back if they could not afford to pay the new rent.
Funding for charities is also crucial: "In my experience I had support from RASASH and Inverness Women's Aid," she said.
"If those organisations are not going t be supported throughout the cost of living crisis, there will be situations of women trapped in an abusive situation longer than they should be."
Ms Edmiston, whose work was on display at Inverness Museum of Art and Gallery earlier this year, started painting four years ago as a way to recover from alcoholism.
"When you are an alcoholic, it takes up a lot of your time, she said. "
"I needed something that would keep my mind and my hands busy and that would keep me away from my phone, and painting gives you that space. It's fantastic, I love it!"
Her works are tied with social causes
"When you are an active alcoholic, that takes up a lot of your time, and
"I am very quick when I paint: I have had some not nice experiences in my life, so I paint best when those things are on my mind. It takes the frustration and horribleness out of my mind and on the canvas, that's why they are usually quite dark paintings – but that's how I enjoy painting."
Her exhibition was inspired by the rise in episodes of sexual abuse in Scotland being reporter each year, as well as her own experience.
She said: "Some of the abusers have been prosecuted and some haven't, and it's very difficult to talk on a public space about it.
"When you experience sexual abuse or domestic abused, you are in a position of powerlessness, and I wanted to explore that in the exhibition.
"I wrote the names down and painted on them in the blackest paint you can buy. So if they ever see those pieces, they would ask themselves: "Is my name in this artwork?"
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also stopped to talk to the artist, recording a video message for Ms Edminston's eight-year-old daughter, whose goal is to become first minister in the future.
"She has a five-point plan and she is very passionate about certain issues, such as affordable housing."
The exhibition was sponsored by SNP MSP for the Highlands & Islands Emma Roddick, who now has the paintings in her office at Holyrood.
She said: "I was keen to bring it in, it was such a fantastic idea and a thought-provoking way of displaying these feelings and the experience of going through domestic abuse and sexual assault.
"I emailed every MSP the week before the exhibition and told them to come along and challenge their views, and learn from Reina about what she has been through and maybe learn something about the experiences of women and girls, and challenge your preconceptions.
"I was really glad that people from every party came along and to speak to her and the first minister also made some time to speak to her.
" I thought that the paintings were incredible, I hang around to listen to her speaking to some of the MSPs and I was so taken to hear what she had done and right at the end she asked if I had any space in my office for the paintings which I was not expecting. It was such a lovely end to the whole experience, and they are now hanging in my office here in Holyrood ."
"I hope that what she said stuck in the minds of the people that she spoke to and that they take that forwards, because this is really important. It's surprising in a way to how many decisions can make their way back to violence against women and girls."
