Stefanos Kouratzis
Photography
20 plus ONE
20 plus ONE – Unchained silence
Violence has and comes in many different forms and faces. Sometimes is a bit hard to realise due to society’s structures but others are too excruciating to miss.
The statistics regarding violence, of any form, against women are staggering.
Studies and reports from EU and the Mediterranean Institute of gender studies in Cyprus reveal that 22% of women in Cyprus were physically or sexually abused till the age of 15. 1 out of 5 for the scale of Cyprus is a truly huge number and beyond comprehension. The statistics reveal even more since 39% was victim of psychological violence, 36% were sexually harassed and 28% had to face some kind of aggressive behaviour. Also shocking is the fact that over the last 10 years, more than 30 women were murdered. The list is almost endless and the numbers are truly shocking.
Each portrait session evolved and took a different path. Although might have looked as an almost silent conversation, it was full of empathy and deep emotions. Nearly nothing was needed to be said. They were there, expressing themselves as they fought their traumas and returned strong,
with sparking eyes, reborn and had taken life back into their hands once again.
Each portrait is the way to carry their message to the world.
“Break the chain of silence. You are not alone”.
Photographed only their back of their head since all had different hair or hair style and sad stories of different kinds of violence at the same time
Photographed only their back of their head since all had different hair or hair style and sad stories of different kinds of violence at the same time
Photographed only their back of their head since all had different hair or hair style and sad stories of different kinds of violence at the same time
Photographed only their back of their head since all had different hair or hair style and sad stories of different kinds of violence at the same time
Photographed only their back of their head since all had different hair or hair style and sad stories of different kinds of violence at the same time
Photographed only their back of their head since all had different hair or hair style and sad stories of different kinds of violence at the same time
Photographed only their back of their head since all had different hair or hair style and sad stories of different kinds of violence at the same time
Photographed only their back of their head since all had different hair or hair style and sad stories of different kinds of violence at the same time
Photographed only their back of their head since all had different hair or hair style and sad stories of different kinds of violence at the same time
Photographed only their back of their head since all had different hair or hair style and sad stories of different kinds of violence at the same time