Charlotte Hooij
Her First Stolen Kiss
“I don’t remember how many nights I couldn’t sleep” said Farah, who is 14 or 15 years old, she is not quite sure.
Farah got married six months ago.
It wasn’t her choice.
Farah got taken from her home and settled in a new one.
They had decided that now is the time to turn from a girl into a woman.
They taught her how to behave like one.
Farah cannot go to school anymore.
She does not see her parents very often, she is now just a guest to them.
Farah has to sleep in another bed.
In another house, with another family.
She cannot sleep at night.
They say it’s normal.
Farah is just a girl.
Charlotte Hooij
Originally from Haarlem, The Netherlands, Charlotte Hooij (b. 1995) lived in many different places, including Belgium where she studied Photography, at the LUCA School of Arts. Denmark where she completed the Erasmus exchange at the Danish School of Media and Journalism. Bangladesh where she followed the international Photography program at the South Asian Media Institute, Pathshala, and currently in Switzerland where she is doing an internship with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Making reportages all around the world is what drives her into the unknown. By going on a journey with her camera, she wants to contribute to the image and storytelling culture, doing what she is most passionate about. Photography.