Woman with Wings (Censored Edition)

Woman with Wings series from Practicingnormal.com

This post was edited to be more family friendly. The original Woman with Wings with some nudity can be found here: Woman with Wings

You had to live in an ice cave to miss all the news of the Dugger family the past month. It was in every Facebook newsfeed and news story and just when you think it’s enough a new tidbit would pop up. There are wonderful bloggers that wrote about the story highlighting the problems with society and covering up sexual abuse.

I was sick to my stomach every time I read a new angle on the story, but every time that we speak out about sexual abuse is a victory.

It breaks down the boundaries of silence and it makes it easier for the next survivor to come out and tell their story.

Here is mine:

There are many words that define me.

Woman, mother, wife.

Photographer, blogger, victim.

When I was a student I was date raped in an University Dorm. I suffer from PTSD and had night terrors for years.

With the help of a therapist and my wonderful husband I worked through the process from victim to SURVIVOR.

Part of my process was taking photos of wonderful women and doing an artistic series called Woman with Wings.

Woman with Wings, an artistic photo series dealing with the healing process after sexual trauma. See more photos at Practicingnormal.com

This series is a reflection of my personal journey and do not in any way imply that men cannot be victims of sexual violence.

I want to thank all the wonderful women donated their time and faces for the project. It is not implied that they were survivors of sexual assault or violence, only that they were kind enough to believe in my project and to help me with my healing process. Without your help the Woman with Wings project would not have been possible. There is not enough words in the world to express how much I appreciated your help.

If you are a victim of sexual assault you can reach out for help at RAINN. Rainn provides support for sexual assault victims and their loved. You can contact them at 800.656.HOPE and online.rainn.org.

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