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Whenever you hear the words "sexual assault," many people instinctively assume that the victim is female. But as you can see from this powerful photography series, it isn't always so black and white.

The pictures are part of 'Project Unbreakable,' a website set up in 2011 by Grace Brown, a New York photography student. The purpose of the site is to raise awareness about sexual assault by giving a voice to those who have been victims of it. The pictures feature survivors holding up posters with quotes from their attackers, and many of those who volunteered to be a part of the project were men who had been subjected to sexual assault, child abuse, and domestic violence.

The website was closed in 2015, but as Grace wrote recently, "In light of our current political climate - the fact that a man accused of multiple instances of sexual assault is about to be the president of the USA - I have decided to repost images from Unbreakable on its Instagram account. We won’t stay silent - not for the oppressed, not for the marginalized, not for anyone."

More info: Project Unbreakable | Instagram

#1

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Petra Christovová
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All such creeps should die alone, unforgiven and broken, "people" like the uncle are disgusting pieces of s*it and do not deserve anything better.

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#24

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Nina Sanz
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It does make sense. I believe you. Forgive your parents, forgive yourself and let it go.

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#26

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Kimberly Puchniarz
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They "thought" you wouldn't remember one of the most devastating things to have happened in your whole life? Really? Wtf!?

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#28

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E Menendez
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Though rare women can be rapists. I have heard that men can't be raped by women because they need to be hard. It would be like saying a woman isn't raped if she is wet. Both are a physiological response. Everyone has the right to say "NO" no matter what their physiological response.

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#31

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Ana Ryguła
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jesus. What a monster she is. How can anyone do anything like this to anyone? Not to mention she was historia mother :(

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#32

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Hannah Bunker
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think I can read many more of these, I want to cry for all these poor people who were abused like this. Next chance I get I am raising awareness for this cause. I feel like people should know that they can go to a lot of people for this and they will be protected. This is disgusting.

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#33

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Smoofy
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate how people expect men and boys to like it. I f*****g hate it.

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#40

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Kimberly Puchniarz
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These sick af individuals will say or do anything so as to manipulate their victims. Disgusting in every way possible!

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#42

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Anne Moe
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's possible that he feels that he was forced into being gay; What is probably really happening is that he hasn't processed his trauma and is actually continuously reenacting it. In our culture we regard gay as a sexual orientation that is not chosen, and for us it is like that. For him it is not, and it is his reality. Opening up about trauma is the first step to healing. Your insensitive comments here might halt that process. It's his trauma, his life, his situation. Let him have ownership to it. He might be born gay, he might not be born gay; that doesn't change the fact that he lives in a culture were being gay is a punishable offence that might cost him his life, and get him raped even more. So just let him have ownership of his trauma and figure things out for himself. Show some goddamn love, or shut your pie-holes.

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E Menendez
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have known a man that had a similar experience in life. He was sold as a youth by his parents to a farming company, where due to his rather feminine appearance suffered horrible abuses before he was able to escape and make his way to the US. He felt it "made him gay" and hated himself for it. He was also from a culture that saw it as a choice instead of an acceptable way to be born. Who can say what the trama they endured caused them to be or not be. I agree that people are too quick to judge the comment he made that it made him gay. These men just need to heal.

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Justyna
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know who was worse - his father or his mother. both should never get out of jail!

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Savannah Major
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am so beyond sorry that you had to go thru this. Your parents are supposed to protect you, not abuse you. Both of your parents are sick & should be punished.

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Ewa Serzysko
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jesus Its do unfair... and btw I don't think you are gay :( so so so will sorry for you... you lost your family as well because they are not your familly

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Petra Christovová
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If there only was a physical law that would prevent such disgusting animals from having childer, sigh ...

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woodbehr
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So sad that his mother acknowledged it and did nothing to try to stop it.

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Amanda Wsky Gamba
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I understand his pain and I'm sorry for him. But somebody should tell him that it didn't make him gay because that's not how it works.

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Michel M. Prins
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7 years ago

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It's really horrible what this person had to go through, but you don't "become gay". You are or you are not. There's the possibility of realizing it later in life, but that means that you always were gay. Nonetheless, it is horrible to hear what this man had to go through.

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Marcia Lescano
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is what happens when people automatically assume that what their told is the truth and don't bother to do proper research.

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#43

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Kimberly Puchniarz
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So sorry to hear how much pain you were forced to deal with. Physically and emotionally.

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#47

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Kimberly Puchniarz
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He's the little sicko b***h!! May he burn in hell with all the other predators!!

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#54

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Angelika Okotokro
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's what many of them say: "you caused it yourself!" Sick bastards!!! So sorry 😢😢

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#55

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Shauday Smith
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i think i'm lacking some context for this quote... is this what the attacker said before they assaulted him? like it was some sort of twisted "training" or skill building? :(

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#62

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Kimberly Puchniarz
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah right, it was your words you sick predator, not your physically raping me!!! Sickest predator.

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