Domestic violence in Bulgaria has no official statistics and there is no adequately enforced law. According to NGOs, nearly 1 million women are victims in this country; the exact number of men and children who have experienced psychological, sexual or physical abuse is unknown. Dozens of NGOs are demanding serious legislative changes to combat domestic violence, and this issue will be one of the first to be considered by the new National Assembly.

Different associations work in support of victims of violence, and the first Bulgarian platform of its kind, which collects useful information, success stories of women who have escaped from abusive relationships and provides support to women who seek to get out of a toxic relationship and build a new life, is EMPROVE. On this site, artist Silvia Vladimirova met 5 amazing ladies who took on the challenge to see their relationships with their children at home from a different angle. They had to do this by participating in a creative workshop that dares parent and child to work together, motivating them to discover their talent and show it off."The group was small, very welcoming, and the result was 5 canvases made in the ancient Japanese technique of Oshibana, which uses pressed plants and flowers to create an entire painting," says Silvia Vladimirova. The kids who were 10-12 years old were amazing, they were like a mountain spring - so wonderful, focused and full of energy.The participants' task was to find the centre on the square canvas (and as a symbolic act to find one's own inner centre) and to connect their work and feeling to that of the parent next to them."As a way to provoke, the artist decided to place the handprints of the children and their parents in the centre of the future paintings, and around them the children arranged petals of dried plants in the shape of a mandala, which symbolizes the connection with oneself and nature. The technique was not chosen by chance either, because on top of it all Oshibana means collecting, storing up memories.

"Some memories can be traumatic and I thought this was a good starting point so we could turn them from 'monochrome' memories into something more colourful. By giving these women an example, a push on how to work together with their children, how to turn their black thoughts into brightly coloured ones, we gave them the know-how to transform things and keep the harmony within themselves," Silvia Vladimirova told Radio Bulgaria.

The incredible works are arranged in an exhibition "Traces of memories" at the FOX Book Café Cultural Centre in Sofia.

"We are not aware of all the thoughts, feelings and emotions we accumulate within ourselves. I think this is the right way to bring them out - through art therapy - explains Silvia Vladimirova - The workshop I conducted under a project supported by the National Culture Fund, is a way to release the hidden and unwanted thoughts, to bring out the memories and rearrange them in a new way. Because by talking about your problems and pain, by articulating them, in a sense you are clearing them, too. Art therapy is one way to let go, to let your problems come to the surface."

English version: Elizabeth Radkova