Why This Project Matters

When we talk about violence against LGBTQ+ people, we often think of strangers or public hate crimes. But some of the deepest wounds come from the people closest to us. Partners. Family members. Friends.

This project focuses on queer men who have experienced interpersonal violence. Emotional, physical, or sexual abuse by someone they once trusted.

It is a quiet epidemic. Many carry that trauma in silence, shaped by stigma, shame, or the fear of not being believed. These experiences do not disappear. They shape how we relate, how we trust, how we move through the world.

My name is Hessel|Haden. I am a survivor of interpersonal violence.

Over the past years, I have traveled across continents to meet and photograph queer men who have lived through similar experiences. The result is a global body of work that reflects both pain and resilience - personal stories that reveal a shared reality.

This project exists to create visibility. To show that male survivors within the LGBTQ+ community are not alone. And that these stories deserve to be seen.

What We Can Create Together

The photographic body of work has been created.

The next step is ensuring it reaches the audiences who need it most.

This project is independently funded. Your support helps sustain its public presentation, exhibition development, publication, and continued visibility.

Every contribution supports the long-term impact of this work.