Bruised Fruit

Growing up, I have vivid memories of my mom scolding me whenever I would help her unload groceries. Her stern voice would say, “Nastya," my Russian name, “don’t hit the fruit. They will rot.” When I was tasked with creating this campaign for "Prevent Child Abuse America" my mom's saying about handling fruit immediately came to mind. It reminded me of how vulnerable children are, just like fruit. This metaphor of the "rotting" fruit perfectly represents the long-lasting effects of abuse. Just as a fruit that has been mistreated cannot fully recover, a victim of abuse cannot simply forget the trauma they have experienced.