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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Portraits of 31 Iowa women with an important message filled the lobby at Indian Hills Community College.  

The display is filled with hopeful stories of people who have overcome domestic abuse.

On Thursday, students and Ottumwa residents took time out of their busy day to read about the victims and look at their pictures.

The show is called the “The Faces of the Iowa Voices Project” and is photographed and written by a woman who is also a victim of domestic violence. She said it wasn't easy to complete the display.

"It was very tough for me because I've been through a domestic violence relationship myself, but it was also really inspiring to hear how other women dealt with the situation and moved on and been able to rebuild their life," said Photographer and writer Katie Thompson.

The Ottumwa Crisis Center and Woman's Shelter sponsored the event as part of their Domestic Violence Awareness month activities.

"I think the important piece is to realize a domestic violence victim or survivor is the woman next door, so it's not the person who is unlike us in someway," said Crisis Center Executive Director Cheryl Brown.

By next October the photos and the interviews with the Iowa women will be translated into a book.

Both Thompson and Crisis Center advocates told KTVO that the display helps residents learn more about domestic abuse and the struggles many go through.