Community Chat

[KingstonsMom]

Posters have been plastered on buildings and bus stops in Europe, showing images of some very famous women who appear brutalized ... in an effort to grab people by the collar so they better understand domestic violence.

Artist AleXsandro Palombo has doctored images of Vice President Kamala Harris, along with British Dutchess Kate Middleton, Queen Letizia of Spain, French politician Christine Lagarde and others ... making them appear to be D.V. victims in her series, "She reported him, but she was killed anyway."

The caption under the battered faces reads, "She reported him -- But nobody believed her - But she was left alone -- But she was not protected - But he was not arrested - But she was killed anyway."

The posters have been seen in Milan and Spain, and presumably beyond.

The artist says his end game is to "draw attention to the poor responses from politics regarding the problem of gender-based violence and highlights the ineffectiveness of the support and protection system to the victims."

He goes on ... “Why should a woman report the violence if after the report she is not protected by the institutions and ends up being killed anyway? How can a woman victim of abuse and violence still have faith in the institutions?"

[cindyNC]

Wow - I did not recognize who they were until I read your post.  Very powerful message. 

[KingstonsMom]

@cindyNC 

I agree, a powerful message and one that needs to get waaay more attention, in my mind.

How many times have heard/read about domestic violence where the offender gets away scot free?

Regardless if the offender is male or female.

[SilleeMee]

I wonder why they never show men who also get abused?? ...not only by their female partners but also by their male partners, too.

[Vivian]

That is excellent. I worked with a woman who was divorcing her husband because he beat her. She got an order of protection but it didn't matter. He shot her dead in front of their 18 month old daughter, who grew up with her aunt and uncle. Her father shot himself after he killed his estranged wife. Pat was a funny, warm-hearted woman who didn't take kr@p from anyone. And yet, she lost her life because an evil lunatic killed her. There's a long way to go, fighting history and culture, before this abuse is a thing of the past.

[ROMARY]

Probably a good idea to 'get out' at the very first sign.

Even if it's a very short time after being married. 

Try not to let it go on and on for several years.

Easier to part at the very beginning (in the long run).

Wishing all women (and sometimes men) safety first.

[phoenixbrd]

@ROMARY   What you say makes sense to healthy people.  Unfortunately, in many of these situations there are unhealthy dynamics that make it emotionally/physically challenging to leave.  Sad, support is needed in these situations and yet not always sought.