Cheer Up Luv – a photo project documenting women who have been harassed

CHRISTINA

CHRISTINA

You’re lost in your own world, until some stranger decides to interupt your thoughts, with the command to “Cheer Up”. And that’s at the lesser end of things we’ve had shouted at us. Cheer Up Luv is an online project set up by photojournalist Eliza Hatch to document women who have experienced sexual harassment in public.

KORANTEMA

KORANTEMA

"I was 19 and had just moved to Paris. I was on a crowded train and this guy put his hands on my hips and started grinding on me. I stepped on his toes as hard as I could and he finally let go. I stormed out of the train straight after." JULIETTE

"I was 19 and had just moved to Paris. I was on a crowded train and this guy put his hands on my hips and started grinding on me. I stepped on his toes as hard as I could and he finally let go. I stormed out of the train straight after." JULIETTE

 

As Eliza explains, “We toughen up from such a young age and learn to brush off and shut out unwanted comments you get from men. By the time you are 23 you are used to mild sexual harassment, and most of the time women rarely talk about it. So I think it is extremely important to photograph women in their daily surroundings, and give them a chance to say something back.

KRUPA

KRUPA

Women from around the world have shared their stories (including our writer Marta) to help flip a story of victimisation into one of empowerment.

MARTA

MARTA

Head to the website to view more cheerupluv.com, and follow the project on Instagram @cheerupluv