FOREST CITY — Barb Benson was moved the first time she saw someone look at her portrait and read about the domestic violence in her life.

“I was overwhelmed,” said the Forest City woman, her eyes filling with tears. “It was the most amazing thing to me. Someone I would never know was reading about these hard parts of my life.”

Benson is one of 31 women featured in the “Iowa Voices Project,” a photo display and soon-to-be-published book by Katie Thompson about surviving domestic violence.

Throughout October the photo display, which features large colorful portraits along with stories about the people, is touring the state. Tuesday, it was at Waldorf College.

The project is sponsored by the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Thompson said Tuesday her effort is two-fold: to tell the amazing stories about the survivors of domestic abuse and to give others hope, especially when they may feel like there is nowhere for them to turn.

Benson, a domestic abuse victim advocate at Crisis Intervention Services at its Forest City office, had not gone public with her story before.

“Not even my boss knew about my situation,” she said. “When I read they were looking for women to tell their stories, I told her that I knew a woman who would like to share her story.”

Benson was raped by her father when she was 4, and then by a husband years later. Hers is story No. 9 in Thompson’s book.

Even though the “hard part” of Benson’s life unfolded 23 years ago in Mason City, she said the memories still live.

“To me, it’s like a chapter in a book that I read over from time to time,” she said. “Fortunately, I don’t have to read it every day anymore.”

Benson said she is proud to be part of the “Iowa Voices Project.”

Thompson, who lives in a rural community in northwest Iowa, is also a victim of domestic abuse. She tells her own story in the book and said the project is her way of giving back.

“I have had several hundred hours of counseling,” she said. “I went to the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence and asked ‘what can I do?’ I’m a photographer and writer. They suggested something like this project.”

“The stories are so horrific,” she said, “so the portraits are essential. They’re much better than the black eyes, bruises and death that you normally relate to abuse. They show the women — the survivors.”

Thompson said the book is scheduled to be completed by next October, which is Domestic Abuse Awareness month.

“We chose 31 women — one story for each day of the month,” Thompson said.

Mary Ingham, director of Crisis Intervention Services in Mason City, said the project shows real Iowans in photos that catch your attention.

“Most people think of domestic violence and they think black eyes and broken bones,” she said. “These women have been through horrific situations and survived.

“This is something that can speak to victims who think there is no hope, no solutions,” said Ingham. “Once you read the stories and look at the pictures it gives you hope.”

Breakout:

See all the “Iowa Voices Project” photos and stories at:

www.icadv.org/Iowa%20Voices%20Project.htm