Beverly 'Survivors Nest Project' Coming To Salem's Old Town Hall

BEVERLY, MA —A life-sized nest as part of an exhibit to support victims of childhood sexual abuse will be part of the Survivor Nest Project display at Salem Old Town Hall in April.

The nest was part of a survivor's program in Beverly this past fall that included the work of artist and nest creator Debbie Baxter, Beverly activist Carla Beatrice, writer and abuse supporter Donna Jenson, documentary filmmaker Katie Bourgeois and the soothing musical accompaniment of Lisa Kawski.

The exhibit will be in Salem from April 20 to April 30. The Salem exhibit will include the nest and photographs from the Beverly event where Beatrice invited other survivors of incest and abuse to a weekend of healing in the safe environment of her own backyard in Beverly.

The public display is set to coincide with April as Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

"Knowing other survivors helps you realize you're not alone, that you're not the only one," said Jenson, founder of Time To Tell, a nonprofit organization offering survivor healing through creative writing. "And building community with other survivors around using our voices is very empowering."

Baxter, who lives in Portland, Oregon, will curate the show that she hopes will contribute to releasing the societal taboo associated with this specific form of childhood trauma, as well as show how the arts can bring about healing to our culture and communities impacted by it.

"Our bodies have lived through these experiences, and we hold onto these things in them, and the nest invites people to just leave all that behind," said Baxter, who has made over 50 nests and photographed over 400 people.

Jenson will offer a writing circle for survivors as well as a workshop for professionals who work with them such as therapists, social workers or other advocates.

"I feel a deep sense of connection to the participants involved in this project," Kawski said. "I am blessed to offer my healing modality of sound to aid in the experience and to be able to connect with each on a very personal level, touching their hearts with love."

More on the Survivor Nest Project can be found here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)