This Incredible Portrait Series of Acid Attack Survivors Proves Bravery Is Beautiful

The next time you walk down a busy city street enjoying the sunshine, consider how, for many women in India, this pretty scene could turn violent in seconds.

According to the BBC, more than a thousand women annually are brutally attacked with nitric or sulfuric acid, leaving many blinded, unable to use their hands, and horrifically scarred. In turn, they are often ostracized and can't find work. Additionally, in communities of women that rely on financial support from their husbands, those attacked by acid rarely get married, leaving them in extreme poverty.

In recent years, campaigns like Stop Acid Attacks have been spotlighting these unbelievable crimes in order to rally support for survivors. (You may remember this heartbreaking makeup tutorial created by one survivor.) Now, Delhi-based photographer Niraj Gera is celebrating their bravery — and slamming discrimination against them — in a breathtaking, deeply emotional portrait series, "Sacred Transformations."

Gera, who has surprisingly only been taking professional photos since 2010, specializes in street photography. But when he met directors and members of the Chhanv Foundation, an organization that creates a safe space for acid attack survivors in 2014, he was seriously moved to help them.

"I wondered how could one be so heartless to be inflicting such inhumane trauma (both physical and mental) on anyone," Gera told POPSUGAR via email. "I had to use my skills as a photographer to bring them out in the mainstream. They needed to be taken seriously, and accepted in the society with the much-required sensitivity."

He added, "sensitivity paves the way for tolerance and mutual respect. It also generates courage to speak up for any wrong in society." In hopes of getting his art's viewers to connect with them, he decided to showcase the emotional journey of the survivors.

At first, it wasn't easy to convince these women to pose for the camera. But Gera worked carefully to create a comfortable environment, and the shoots resulted in some emotional moments. "There were times they laughed and danced around with all their energy, whereas there were also days when they could not hold themselves and cried," he shared. "Overall it was a beautiful journey and all of us lived every moment to the fullest." Throughout the project, he found that he was deeply inspired by their bravery and courage. (Once you see these images, you will be too.)

Like all high-quality art, Gera's series makes the viewer think hard about the topic. He wants viewers of "Sacred Transformations" to understand that the survivors are no different from who they are, and that they deserve equal opportunities in life — career stability, a close-knit family, and marriage prospects all come to mind. "Victimizing them because of the consequences of somebody else's crime only adds to the injustice which has happened to them," he said.

He's also hopeful that by seeing the results of these violent crimes, people will take a stand against them and refuse to normalize discrimination. "Let's not stand still and ignore such injustices," he declared. "Instead, rise up and take a step (no matter how big or small) towards bringing change."

Read on to see 15 of the empowering images from the 42-part series, which are designed to be viewed in the following order ("from darkness to light . . . from misery to empowerment . . . from negativity to positivity," as Gera said). They are captioned in Gera's own words. Then, learn how you can help acid attack survivors here.

— Additional reporting by Lauren Levinson

Flames of Injustice

Flames of Injustice

"The photograph shows how a spark of revenge or anger can burn down somebody's life to ashes by the inhumane act of acid attack."

Inflamed Uproar

Inflamed Uproar

"The photograph is only an attempt to express the unimaginable intensity of inflammation and excruciating pain that a survivor goes through when attacked by acid. It not only causes the skin tissues to melt but also sometimes can dissolve the bones too. The severe damage which is caused can also pose a great risk of death."

A Struggle to Break Free

A Struggle to Break Free

"Coming to terms with the reality wasn't easy, but accepting to live with it is even more torturing. The emotional upheaval which keeps resurfacing pushes against the heart the desire to break free."

Bars of Stigmatization!

Bars of Stigmatization!

"The photograph shows that because of the stigmatization and insensitive treatment by the society the survivor not only loses her self-confidence but is also fettered and victimized by notions which the world builds against her."

Tears of Nostalgia

Tears of Nostalgia

"The photograph depicts a moment where the survivor nostalgically looks at an old picture of her and wishes to rewind time. There are also survivors who don't even have a picture to share how they used to look prior to the attack."

Unconcealable Scathe

Unconcealable Scathe

"The photograph shows that no matter how hard the survivor may try to hide her burns in order to escape any embarrassment or awkwardness, the discomfort will continue to haunt her."

Veil of Reluctance

Veil of Reluctance

"It is not very easy to face the world, knowing that the world is not going to look at you the same way as it used to. The photograph shows a survivor resorting to veil by compulsion because of the stares and insensitivity which instills reluctance in them."

The Wounds Heal, but the Scars Remain

The Wounds Heal, but the Scars Remain

"The survivors usually have to undergo multiple surgeries for treatment. The surgery might help them recover, but it cannot take away the scars (physical as well as mental) the incident has left upon the survivors."

A Token of Love

A Token of Love

"The photograph shows the irony of love and its expression. On the one hand, we have lovers like Emperor Shah Jahan who created memorials like the beautiful Taj Mahal as an expression of an everlasting love for their beloved, while on the other hand we have fanatics who mistook their desire for love and tried to attack and disfigure the identity of their 'beloved' by throwing acid upon them. This was his token of love for her."

Untainted Love

Untainted Love

"No matter what the world throws at you, from a mother you can always expect unconditional love. The photograph captures an intimate moment between a mother and her daughter, both of whom were attacked by her own husband. It also tries to send across the message that love moves the world. We can be more generous by being more loving. A loving environment helps the survivors overcome and cope with the trauma soon."

Rising From Darkness

Rising From Darkness

"No misery has lasted forever, and this one too had to pass. The photograph shows the growth of the survivor from hiding behind the veils, to leaving the veil behind her, from fighting the darkness of reluctance, self-doubt, lack of confidence, and value for the self to rising from it. None of the scars can put her to shame anymore, because she is now comfortable in her skin."

Because I Have a Brother, I'll Always Have a Friend

Because I Have a Brother, I'll Always Have a Friend

"It is always assuring to know that someone's got your back. To know that you have a friend, a family whom you can trust and look forward to in times, good or bad. This is a photograph of one such assuring relationship."

The Unrobable Joy

The Unrobable Joy

"The photograph displays the joy and enthusiasm of the survivor, which she realized is her very nature and nobody can rob her of what exclusively belongs to her."

Make a Wish

Make a Wish

"The photograph depicts the beauty of a survivor and how, just like any of us, she too has a beautiful world of her dreams full of wonders which nobody could and nobody can ever snatch away, not even her perpetrators."

Breathing Freedom

Breathing Freedom

"The picture depicts the spirit of freedom and a sense of hope that is withheld in the eyes of the survivor for an ever-growing and ever-evolving self."