Erica
The Story
Erica is a 22 year old university student from London who set out to change UK domestic abuse law.
After her case was thrown out due to exceeding the six month time limit for pressing charges, she launched a campaign called Victims Too, and gathered almost 65,000 signatures to abolish the time limit on reporting abuse.
This is her story.
The Portraits
Throughout her relationship with her abuser, she was silenced in every sense of the word.
As only a teenager, she had to watch every word she said and every move she made to make sure her abuser didn’t scream verbal abuse, assault her body, or even throw her off her chair.
Just a couple years after she finally left, she now dances on the eggshells she used to walk upon.
She is a FORCE, and without any shadow of a doubt, has reclaimed the power of her voice.
This is the Erica you see here.
We designed two portraits for each survivor in our campaign, a deeply personal pairing to illustrate her own unique journey from control and silence to freedom and voice.
Erica’s first portrait represents her journey from silencing her voice during the years of abuse in order to stay safe to become the woman who can instead loudly and boldly dance upon the ground beneath her feet.
The second portrait represents her liberation from silence and transformation into the woman whose voice literally is changing the conversation around domestic abuse amongst the people who actually have the power to fix the broken systems. A woman who turned her pain into a blooming garden of hope for all. A woman who will never be silenced again.
You can support Erica’s work on Instagram @victimstoo and her website.
Inspired by Erica’s Story?
We need your support to achieve our mission of helping more women like her to discover the power of their voice.
Your generous contribution will ensure we can keep fighting for survivors and women everywhere, and help give them the tools to tell their story in order to inspire lasting change in their community and around the world.
It’s time to shed the stigma, shame, and blame and change the story about domestic abuse.
It’s time to #HearHerRoar.
We are a registered UK Charity. Donate to our #HearHerRoar crowdfunder campaign or donate directly through our donorbox, whichever moves you!
Thank you to all the volunteers and donors who helped make Erica’s story come to life:
Stephanie Goldfinger: Photography and Creative Direction
Roxy van der Post: Videography and Editing
Violeta Marozaite, Gaia Eros and Your London Florist: Floral Design
Maya Lewis: Hair and Makeup
Neda Kozel: Behind the Scenes Photography
Natalia Kaluza: Production Assistance and Marketing
Flowers donated by D.L. Flowers Wholesale UK
Coffee by Grind