Focus on Domestic Violence

Certificate of Ownership is one of 36 works in an exhibition which opened in Toowoomba last night (23 May). The photos and accompanying stories are by six women who are survivors of domestic and family violence. The exhibition is the outcome of a PhotoVoice project.

PhotoVoice is a process which enables people to document their own lives and educate others about issues which affect them. Participants of PhotoVoice projects around the world have found many benefits such as empowerment form telling their story, opportunities to educate people in the community, increased confidence and self-appreciation as well as improved camera skills.

For this project, the six women were trained in photography techniques and invited to take photographs on the following topics: what has helped me survive, the challenges we face, things I would change, and countering the myths of domestic violence. Each photographer brought images back to the group for a structured discussion which helped them develop stories about their life with domestic violence. Image and story were creatively combined to represent the experience of domestic violence in unfamiliar ways.

The project is a collaboration between the Toowoomba Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Service and PhotoVoice Australia. Those who helped bring the project to fruition were project facilitator Ann Alcock, Domestic Violence Counsellor Kathleen, writer Danae Sweetapple, and Lucy Roberson-Cunninghame, who provided graphic design. The project was supported by Soroptimist International and the Queensland Government.

Last night over 100 people celebrated the opening of Focus on Domestic Violence by noted photographer Bev Lacey at the Mars Gallery on TheGRID: hybrid arts collective, 488 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba. The exhibition will continue until 16 June 2014 and will then tour to other galleries in South-east Queensland.