LET’S TALK ABOUT RAPE by Jadwiga Brontē

Let’s Talk About Rape® brings together collaborative self-portraits and testimonies from 20 survivor co-authors worldwide. Told in their own words across 11 languages, the book explores survival, resilience and reclaiming identity after rape.

Let’s Talk About Rape® is a collaborative photobook by documentary photographer Jadwiga Brontē and 20 survivor co-authors from around the world. Bringing together self-portraits and personal testimonies in 11 languages, the publication challenges the silence, shame and stigma surrounding sexual violence, while exploring survival, resilience and the reclamation of identity.

At the heart of the project is a survivor-centred approach to photography. Rather than being passive subjects, survivors actively participate in creating their own portraits. Each person holds a remote shutter release, choosing the precise moment their photograph is taken. They decide how they wish to be represented, while their testimonies, written in their own words and original languages, accompany the images.

This collaborative process challenges traditional power dynamics between photographer and subject. Photography becomes a means of empowerment, allowing survivors to reclaim control over their image and narrative. The resulting portraits are not representations of victimhood, but expressions of individuality, dignity and agency.

The book brings together survivors from different countries, cultures and backgrounds, including those who have experienced sexual violence during armed conflict, childhood sexual abuse and violence within their communities. Their individual experiences reveal the global nature of rape and the social attitudes that continue to silence survivors. Together, their portraits and testimonies form a collective narrative that challenges victim-blaming and the shame too often placed on those who have experienced sexual violence.

The 304-page hardback publication combines photography, typography and multilingual storytelling. Published in a limited first edition of 350 copies, the book gives each survivor space to tell their story on their own terms.

Survivor Co-Authors

Aline Kanega — Democratic Republic of the Congo
Aleksandra Wierzbowska — Poland
Ángela María Escobar — Colombia
Ciara Mangan — Ireland
Consolee Nishimwe — Rwanda
Dominga Concepción Martínez Díaz — Guatemala
Elena de Paz Santiago — Guatemala
Elisabeth Hatieno — Kenya
Ellie Wilson — United Kingdom
Faryal Saeed Talal — Iraq
Francesca Svanera — Italy
Halima Hussein — Iraq
Jaqueline Mutere — Kenya
Natalie Fleet — United Kingdom
Najma Haji Khadida — Iraq
Nancy Gómez Ramos — Colombia
Olena Apchel — Ukraine
Shumu Haque — Bangladesh
Shyrete Tahiri — Kosovo
Vasfije Krasniqi — Kosovo

Let’s Talk About Rape® is part of a wider international campaign and UK-registered charity founded by Jadwiga Brontē. The initiative challenges stigma, raises awareness and supports survivors through collaborative photography and survivor-led storytelling.

All income from book sales goes directly to the Let’s Talk About Rape® charity, supporting the survivor co-authors and the organisation's ongoing international work.

More than a photobook, Let’s Talk About Rape® is an invitation to listen, question established narratives and recognise survivors as the authors of their own stories.