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Photo via Yana Mazurkevich Photography/Facebook

This college student’s ‘It Happened’ photo collection shows how rape can happen to anyone, anywhere

This collection of photographs conveys a frightening reality.

 

Dahlia Dandashi

IRL

Posted on Sep 6, 2016   Updated on May 26, 2021, 2:15 am CDT

Note: The following article contains sensitive content that might be triggering for some readers.

After being sentenced to six months in prison, convicted rapist Brock Turner was let go three months early on Friday morning. Like many others, Ithaca College student Yana Mazurkevich did not take the news lightly, and she fought back through her moving and powerful photo series, “It Happened.” 

The compelling collection of photographs speaks a haunting narrative that stands up for assault victims and aims to spread awareness.

Mazurkevich worked with Current Solutions—a media platform that promotes a safe space and voice for victims of “gender inequity, intimate partner violence, and sexual assault”—to publish the photographs. Printed on each photo in the collection is a short message, revealing the reality of sexual assault victims and situations. 

On her Facebook photography page, Mazurkevich stated her reasons for creating the series. “In response to Brock Turner’s early release, this photo series aims to continue the conversation on sexual assault, as well as to raise a huge finger to Turner and his 3-month jail time.”

Yana Mazurkevich Photography

Yana Mazurkevich Photography

Yana Mazurkevich Photography

Yana Mazurkevich Photography

Yana Mazurkevich Photography

Yana Mazurkevich Photography

Yana Mazurkevich Photography

Yana Mazurkevich Photography

The photographer has also created a photo series titled “Dear Brock Turner.” 

H/T Buzzfeed

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*First Published: Sep 6, 2016, 7:17 pm CDT