Major Project: Documenting Domestic Abuse

One of the most famous images of domestic abuse, self portrait by Nan Goldin

Ive been looking at the way violence against women is glamourised in advertising but what about photographers who have documented actual cases of abuse and its victims. I didnt really know much about this except someone else in my class did their contextual project on the different ways male and female photographers use these themes in their work and its through her i found Sara Naomi Lewkowicz.Lukowicz's project Shane and Maggie documented the abusive relationship of 19 year old Maggie, her boyfriend Shane.This project was originally focused on Shanes life as an ex-convict but she began documenting the abuse Maggie was suffering at Shanes hand. Lukowicz has had a lot of criticism towards this project, being blamed for allowing the abuse to happen and not intervening but she has also won an award for her documentation for domestic violence. You can read an article by Sara documenting Maggies journey after leaving Shane here.

Image by Sara Naomi Lewkowicz

This article also mentions Donna Ferrato who has documented domestic violence for over 30 years after witnessing and documenting the physical abuse in a polyamourous couple she was sent to photograph by Playboy magazine in the 80s. She has created the series I Am Unbeatable focusing on women who have left their abusers.

Image from Donna Ferrato's I Am Unbeatable project

The way these female photographers document domestic violence is in stark contrast the the way the mostly male (at least from what ive seen) photographers use domestic violence as an edgy theme to advertise clothes in glossy magazines. I want to look at the theme of domestic abuse and violence against women not because theres a problem with its representation in the magazines bought primarily by women but because its a very real problem in a lot of womens lives. Its a reality in Scottish womens lives and i want to show this through my work. Domestic abuse is the fourth most common cause of homelessness in Scotland and research by Scottish Womens Aid found that women leaving abusive homes were being let down by local councils and housing providers. Ive been doing some research through Rape Crisis Scotland's This is Not an Invitation to Rape Me.co.uk, according to them a survey done in Scotland in 2008 found that 27% of people thought a woman could be blamed for being raped if she was wearing revealing clothing, i'd hope that number would be lower now but who fucking knows.

 Ive been wondering if people see my images of a glamorous woman with a fake bruise and torn clothes they wont get the point im trying to make about shitty depictions of abuse in fashion media, but im not sure it really matters. If someone sees the image and they get pissed off that someone would be so callous as to show an abused woman like theres something beautiful and aspirational about that, well they should be.