Unspoken Truths


 
An ode to all Maltese women suffering in silence






Film & Photography
2021


















Dear Malta,

Why are we the last EU country with a complete ban on abortion? Why do women seeking abortions continue to suffer when such a choice is a human right? The topic on abortion is a largely unspoken topic, censored by the state, the church, and a threat of criminal prosecution. It is a social stigma that is silencing Maltese citizens. The overall stigma has silenced many into burying their thoughts and emotions, especially the more vunerable and less privileged who are in dire need of your support and understanding.

Moreover, us women are being forced to lie due to the complete blanket ban you have constituted on abortion (Chapter 9 Criminal Code of Malta). How can we begin to heal when we are forced into lying and when we are burdened with guilt and fear instilled by our country? Without official statistics there is no way of knowing how many women are experiencing this trauma, but I can show a fraction of the pain these desperate women are going through in isolation and silence.

Your silenced women






Individual Stories
 

Three Maltese women open up about their individual abortion stories, shedding light on the choice process and emotional thoughts they have gone through. Having to stay anonymous, three dancers were selected to represent their stories. Together we joined forces to carefully choreograph each individual story. The female dancers were able to chanel these emotions as they have gone through this process themselves and understand the weight of it.






















A fight for Change


44 individuals have stood together in unity and raised their fists in a strong statement against the criminalisation of abortion, by holding hangers up high. The hangers serve as a symbol of suffering faced by women in Malta who have been forced to resort to unsafe methods to obtain an abortion, which is a safe and accessible procedure in most countries across the globe. There was a strong collective presence that day, everyone felt the same sentiments of both anger and sadness; however, they were unified by the need for change. It was an emotional sight seeing so many people gathering together sharing the same thoughts on such a stigmatised topic.


















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