02/04/2025

The free exhibition explores the history and impact of victim-blaming through a powerful series of photographs.

A new exhibition is opening at the National Justice Museum in Nottingham, aiming to spark conversations around consent, sexual violence, and victim-blaming. Victim-blaming remains a prevalent issue that shapes public perceptions, sentencing outcomes, and survivors’ willingness to seek justice. 

Asking For It is a powerful and award-winning photographic series by Jayne Jackson that challenges the persistent culture of victim-blaming in cases of sexual and gender-based violence. Using a striking ‘mugshot’ format, historical styling, and heritage photographic techniques, Jackson exposes the enduring narratives that shift blame onto survivors of sexual and domestic abuse and reshapes public perceptions.

Jayne Jackson is an award-winning dance, theatre, and social action photographer/change maker. She creates meaningful, empowering portraits and impactful activist work. Beyond her photographic work, Jayne is an activist in the area of violence against women and girls (VAWG), and co-founded Foxstrut UK, a vibrant, urban fox-themed movement reclaiming nighttime spaces through joyful protest and craftivism. Alongside her activism, Jayne specialises in performance arts photography, capturing the power and presence of dancers and theatre artists. As a patron of National Boys Dance Day (23rd October), she advocates for greater representation and inclusion within the arts. Her PhD research at Arts University Bournemouth further amplifies female historical narratives, using participatory photography as a tool for empowerment.

Asking For It was developed over three years through extensive research. This multi-award-winning series features over 20 portraits, each representing a different period in history, accompanied by captions drawn from real victim-blaming phrases - such as "Flirted" or "Swiped Right". The images reveal how these attitudes have echoed through time and remain deeply embedded in society today.

The stories represented in the exhibition span decades – as far back as 1910. Photographer Jayne Jackson included heritage photography techniques to align methods more authentically with what would likely have been used at the time. She worked with wet plate collodian processes, medium format- cameras, and period specific film types. Each image contains subtle clues that something isn’t quite right, intentionally prompting the viewer to question them. 

Since its initial launch in 2019, Asking For It has evolved to address the rise in domestic violence during lockdown, incorporating a real-life case study and two specially commissioned images by RASA Merseyside. Inspired by tragic real-world cases, the series compels audiences to confront their own biases and question outdated narratives that perpetuate harm.

Also featured in the exhibition are public letters to Mrs Beatrice Anne Pace. On the afternoon of 6th July 1928, Mrs Pace emerged from Gloucester Shire Hall and was met by a cheering crowd of thousands of well-wishers celebrating her acquittal upon the charge of having murdered her husband with arsenic. Evidence presented during the trial revealed the horrifying extent of her husband’s physical and psychological brutality. Mrs Pace received more than 200 letters of support following her acquittal, offering fascinating insights into the attitudes of Beatrice’s admirers, their own experiences at the hands of abusive husbands, and the intense emotions that she inspired.

More than just a photographic series, this award-winning project is a call to action. By challenging perceptions, fostering dialogue, and demanding change, Jackson’s work ignites critical conversations about consent, accountability, and justice. 

Aimee Wilkinson – Head of Creative Programmes at the National Justice Museum said, “We are incredibly proud to host Asking For It at the National Justice Museum. This powerful, award-winning exhibition comes at a crucial time when gender bias, jury prejudice, and social media scrutiny continue to stand in the way of justice for survivors. Despite the fact that so many people have experienced—or will experience—the issues explored in this exhibition, barriers to justice remain high. Now more than ever, we must challenge the damaging persistence of victim blaming, which only makes healing and accountability harder.

Jayne Jackson’s work brings these issues to light with deep compassion, skill, and empathy. By reimagining the ‘mugshot’ and highlighting the so-called ‘crimes’ victims were unfairly blamed for, the exhibition sparks vital reflection and debate. It shifts the focus from blaming survivors to holding perpetrators accountable—encouraging a much-needed change in how society understands and responds to sexual violence. Engaging people from all walks of life, Asking For It invites us into an essential conversation about justice, accountability, and meaningful support for survivors.”

Reflecting on Asking For It, Jackson said “I am absolutely thrilled that the National Justice Museum is hosting this exhibition. Their team has been incredible – passionate, dedicated, and deeply engaged with the project’s mission. I wanted to create images that would engage wider audiences and encourage people to question these harmful narratives. Seeing the ongoing impact of this project has been incredibly rewarding, and I am grateful to everyone who has supported it. The images continue to be exhibited, published, and used in educational workshops and seminars worldwide, reinforcing my belief in photography’s power to spark important conversations and inspire meaningful change.”

Asking For It opens on Monday 31 March and is free to enter. Click here for more information