NORTH DAKOTA
Washington Post
Writer MaryAnne Golon April 9
On the Spirit Lake Sioux reservation in North Dakota, victims of recurrent sexual abuse turn to spiritual and traditional healing to overcome their pain. The majority of the sex crimes go unpunished, and tribal council authorities do not provide law enforcement or prosecute the offenders. Photographer Rena Effendi’s haunting portraits and interviews called “Spirit Lake” explore the effects of trauma and the cycle of abuse in a place where poverty, chronic unemployment, addiction, depression and suicide rates are startlingly high. The National Institute of Justice reports that 4 out of 5 Native American women experience violence in their lifetime, and more than half have experienced sexual violence.
Effendi is the $20,000 winner of the 2018 Alexia Foundation professional photography grant to continue her work. The Alexia Foundation, committed to supporting visual storytellers who educate and expose social injustice, has been awarding these grants to top professionals and students for more than 25 years. Each spring at New York’s Syracuse University, a panel of industry professionals considers scores of proposals in the highly competitive contest.
“I feel so very privileged to be offered this opportunity to go back and continue uncovering these important stories buried under layers of stigma. As a woman and photographer from Azerbaijan who came here looking for answers, I am proud to say these women know now that they can trust me.” Effendi told In Sight. “I hope other survivors will be emboldened to step up and break the taboo. I am also happy and proud to be part of the impressive roster of visual contributors who benefit from the incredible support of this foundation.”
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