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The Concept

The Asking for it series was researched extensively and developed over a 3 year period, with the aim of: highlighting and changing opinions towards historical and current tendencies toward victim blaming, especially in cases of sexual and gender based violence.

Each 'mug shot' image represents a different decade. It has been shot accordingly, using heritage methods, from wet plate collodian, 5 x 4 film, to more modern photographic techniques. Each image contains a 'crime' such as 'wore red' or 'swiped right', which the viewer is invited to question.

This multi award-winning project has been developed as part of my MA research at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), with support from the charity STARS (www.starsdorset.org). Further data from the opinion survey and subsequent exhibitions is being used to research audience impact and social change through art.

Since the project's initial launch in 2019, it has been expanded, most recently to address include lockdown related increases in domestic violence, a real-life case study and 2 specially commissioned images by RASA Merseyside.

Content from the series has been featured in the Oxford University textbook on Criminology 2e by Case et al and in various press coverage, including the BBC website, The Independent, BBC Radio 5live, Yahoo news, BBC Radio Solent, BBC Spotlight, Woman's Own, Stylist etc

As a social-action project, a key aim is to have the work seen by as many people as possible. To book an exhibition or presentation of the work and research, please contact: jaynejacksonphotography@gmail.com.

'What you’ve created is incredible and can really get people thinking about how they view victims of sexual violence. It’s a very interesting topic to look at over the last century as ultimately that’s why victims are blamed, even partially, by society today. The history of victim blaming plays a large part I think on why this is still an issue. I know men are victims of sexual violence too but women have always been judged so harshly on the “choices” they made which lead to them ultimately having no choice.' Preview exhibition visitor

'This set of images on the subject of victim blaming, is both direct and intriguing at the same time. By using and subverting the familiar police mugshot format, and faithfully using the photography techniques relating to the appropriate decade, together with text of a supposed 'crime', the photographs invite discussion and debate on how people see victims of sexual violence. A good example of how photography can be used to question and reflect on important issues of the day. Strong, powerful, emotive and technically well executed.' Gina Turner, Photo Editor, Bloomberg