Partner Spotlight: Helping Survivors Heal Branding Scars Through Body Art
- The Friendship Center
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
Artwork and photo courtesy of Kaycee Dempster, Velvet Rose Tattoo, Helena.
Helena tattoo artist Kaycee Dempster talks about the power of tattooing to help survivors heal and reclaim their bodies, especially from branding marks that can remind them of their abuse.
At its best, body art can be highly empowering, representing everything from personal narratives to ancient cultural traditions. This has been the case for time immemorial, going back to the earliest human societies. Unfortunately, methods like tattooing have also been widely abused throughout history, and it is something abusers still exploit, often as a way of declaring ownership over their victims—a practice known as “branding” in the context of domestic violence relationships. In our Q&A with tattoo artist Kaycee Dempster (Velvet Rose Tattoo) for this month’s partner spotlight, she compares abusers’ use of tattoos to cattle brands. The metaphor is fitting. A branding tattoo sends a signal to survivors (with a mark that’s sometimes visible to others) that they are somebody else’s personal property, with a value proximate to livestock.
If there’s any silver lining to the dark reality of branding scars, it’s that some of them can be salvaged by skilled tattoo artists who are willing to do coverup designs. For survivors, a coverup can be a game-changer for a few reasons. First, most survivors have to sacrifice access to key resources like housing and finances in order to flee violent relationships. Many of our clients have to leave everything behind and focus all their energy on survival, meaning they’re generally not in a position to get a branding tattoo removed, a procedure that can cost thousands of dollars depending on the size and amount of detail in the design. Second, and perhaps even more importantly, a coverup design can be a major step in healing from abuse by effectively transforming a mark intended to degrade with meaningful artwork.
The Friendship Center has been able to connect with professional artists in our community willing to do some of this coverup work to help our clients reclaim their bodies by changing a reminder of their abuse into an image of self-assertion and survival. Kaycee is one such tattoo artist, and she was kind enough to answer some questions for this month’s partner spotlight. Check out what she has to say about her work, the role body art can have in a survivor’s healing process, some of the considerations that go into coverup designs, and her advice to professional service providers who might be in a position to show support for survivors.
A tattoo can represent personal expression and be a sign of empowerment, but they can also represent the opposite if they’re coerced. To get us started, what do you want people to know about tattoos and other forms of branding in DV relationships?
KD: To start off, I think having a couple’s tattoo in itself isn't necessarily abusive though it becomes a different ballgame if the tattoo is forced or if somebody gets it for the wrong reason. I think abusers use tattoos, specifically of their name, in a similar way that ranchers use cattle brands.
Can you talk about the ways that body art can be a tool for healing and self-reclamation, particularly when it’s been weaponized in the past to undermine somebody?
KD: I think body art is a very powerful tool for self-reclamation because it brings the power back to its rightful hands.
There's a powerlessness to trauma. Choosing to mark yourself permanently and going through deliberate pain in the process of getting a tattoo can be a powerful act of self-assertion and shows beautiful images of overcoming and survival that are there for everyone to witness.
Switching gears to highlight your talents as an artist, how did you get into tattoo art? What inspired you to pursue it?
KD: Before I got into tattooing, I had been working at Shodair Children's Hospital and a funeral home in town. I am grateful for those experiences, but they didn't fit me well. I had been getting tattooed for a while and really enjoyed learning about the history of it, specifically traditional Japanese Irezumi! Of course, I enjoyed the art and creativity aspect as well!
How do cover-up designs compare to tattooing unmarked skin? Is it a creative challenge that requires different considerations?
KD: Coverups can be a bit more challenging because you have to work with the design underneath, accounting for how it already moves on the skin and what colors you can put over it. There are a lot of factors that go into what you can do, including the age, size, the amount of black in the original design, and how to incorporate the new design the person wants to put over it.
You provide a service that’s intimate by definition. Besides working in close contact with each customer, tattooing can take a long time and even require multiple sessions. Plus, the artwork itself can be very personal—we’re sure many people have shared their own stories with you about what the design means to them. Even if someone is not coming to you with a branding situation, you’re in a unique position to listen and see signs of abuse that others might not. Do you think there is a tactful way to ask if a customer is safe? What’s your advice to tattoo artists and service providers who might be in a position to show support and concern for survivors?
KD: I personally haven't tattooed a person that was in branding situation, and I will say most tattoo artists are cautious when it comes to tattooing names of a boyfriend or girlfriend due to the possibility of the relationship going wrong and whatnot. I think it's best to be cautious in those situations because you never know what goes on behind closed doors.
There is a tactful way in tattooing, or any profession, to ask someone if they are safe. It's better to speak up than to let someone suffer in a situation that maybe feels bigger than they can handle alone. I think showing support and concern for victims can be a simple "Is everything okay?" Or "I know of these resources if you need a place to stay or need help."
Also donating time, money, resources, or professional services to places like The Friendship Center is crucial so the important services you guys and other organizations provide are available. I think some people stay trapped in situations because they feel they have no way out, so providing them with information and resources can save and empower lives.
Last but not least, where can people find you if they’re interested in working with you? And are there certain styles that you’re especially passionate about for any folks who might be out there looking for the perfect artist for their next tattoo?
KD: I am at Velvet Rose Tattoo in Helena. I really like doing anime, American traditional, and Japanese traditional!
The Friendship Center is just one of many organizations in our community working to ensure everyone is supported with care and dignity. We regularly highlight some of the fantastic people, businesses, and organizations that we partner and collaborate with in our email newsletter. Sign up to make sure you don't miss a partner spotlight and learn more about some of the services available in our community.
Also be sure to check out a companion piece to this month’s spotlight, a primer on branding written by our Client Services Manager Jaime Gabrielli, to learn more about the practice and how to get in touch with us if you’re a tattoo artist like Kaycee with an interest in helping our clients with coverup designs.
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