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Ecuador - a country that is distinguished by a sharp rejection of people with non-traditional sexual orientation … “Not like everyone else” is despised in society, they are abandoned by relatives and friends, and, what is most terrible, they are sent to so-called re-education centers. The frank photo cycle of a journalist from Ecuador, which tells the whole truth about what is happening in the dungeons of such clinics, is shocking. It is impossible to calmly look at these photographs.
The idea for the photo cycle belongs to Paola Peredes, a journalist who has been researching LGBT attitudes in her home country for a long time. Recently, the girl published a candid photo cycle about how she confessed her homosexuality to her own parents. Her relatives turned out to be wise enough to accept her individual choice, but most families in Ecuador simply abandon their children at such moments or even hand them over for compulsory treatment in a hospital that looks more like a torture chamber than a medical institution.
Paola's friend told her about the "treatment". Forced hunger strikes, severe beatings and even, in some cases, rape are used to correct personality. Officially, the clinics where homosexuals end up provide services for the treatment of alcohol and drug addiction, but secretly "treat" disorientation disorders. The range of services costs $ 500- $ 800 per month.
Paola herself is one of the people severely condemned by society. The mere thought that she herself could be among the unfortunate patients of clinics made her present this photo cycle. She agreed with her parents that they would "hand over" her to such a clinic, where Paola was able to record a lot on a dictaphone hidden under the strap of her bra. “The worst thing was to see girls who were forced to wear makeup, from the stories I already knew what it usually looks like - bright red lips, crimson cheeks and blue shadows,” said Paola.
The girls' stories and everything seen in the clinic are reflected in staged photographs, which, at the same time, very accurately reproduce the daily routine of hospitals. Similar situations (infringement of LGBT rights) occur not only in Ecuador, but also in Europe, the United States and South America.
Illustrations of daily life in hospital
In hospitals, physical violence is constantly used: the girl is forced to wash the toilet with a toothbrush.
Patients have 4-7 minutes to take a shower. This is the only way to be alone with yourself. The rest of the time, the girls are forced to listen to Catholic music, study literature for Alcoholics Anonymous and go through the so-called. therapy for sexual dysfunction.
Many women undergoing therapy in clinics confessed that they had been raped for medicinal purposes. Others testified that they had vague memories of sexual abuse, presumably at that time they were under drug intoxication.
Male therapists force patients to wear challenging female clothes and practice the sexy gait of the seducer.
Girls are often forbidden to talk to each other. Disobedience is punished: the guilty must kneel on the cold floor, listening to religious music and holding the Bible in her hands.
For refusal to eat, they may be indicatively beaten for the edification of other patients.
The cells in which patients spend most of their time often resemble prison punishment cells. In total, there are over 200 correctional hospitals in Ecuador.
Make-up lessons under the supervision of a doctor. At 7:30 in the morning, the female patients should already have makeup.
Physical activity is an obligatory part of the treatment. Charging takes place early in the morning or late at night. The doctor-overseer severely punishes those who practice half-heartedly.
Girls are often forced to drink by force unknown drinks. This is a kind of humiliation. At the same time, the patients guess that the composition may contain chlorine, bitter coffee or water from the toilet.
Patients are severely beaten. In this photo, a television cable was used. The reason may be minor, for example, the girl violated the ban and put the bag on the chair.
Many of the girls who arrive at the center are tied to a bed or locked up in the bathroom all night.
All patients spend several hours a day cleaning the office, corridor, kitchen or bathroom. Their work is evaluated very carefully, if the premises remain dirty, the cleaning ladies are severely punished.
Lunch is always held in silence. The patients are fed cheap tuna, rice, or noodles.
Self-portraits from the mental hospital - another shocking photo cycle made by a girl who miraculously managed to survive after a suicide attempt …
