We love our makeup and we spend money and time to look good, it makes us feel better about ourselves and gives us more confidence. I have to admit I do often look orange if I wear too much foundation, but I am the master at covering blemishes.
You wake with a heavy feeling in your head and heart and you drag your tired and aching body out of bed. He has left for work and you need to get the kids up ready for school, but there’s no way you can walk into the school playground looking this way, out comes the cosmetic bag and you begin to plaster the foundation onto your face.
The bruising is a mixture of black and purple and you winch as your fingers slide over the painful areas, he beat you last night and yet again you master the art of covering it up.
I lived this way for far too long, I covered up the physical and emotional scars well; it was a good game we played. He would beat me; I would lie and cover the evidence up. It becomes a vicious cycle that is difficult to break yet can save your life.
When I was approached and asked to back this campaign what could I say? No sorry I don’t have time? It’s not a worthy cause? For me personally covering it up led to 11 years of abuse, it subjected my children to a life of violence and it caused me to now lead a life filled with guilt and regret.
Domestic violence charity Refuge and make-up artist Lauren Luke are launching a powerful online campaign telling victims of domestic violence, and wider society, ‘Don’t cover it up’. The online film takes a brave and disarming approach to the issue of domestic violence, encouraging women to break down the silence which so often masks abuse and reach out for help from specialist organisations like Refuge. The campaign has been created by advertising agency BBH and will be hosted on Lauren Luke’s YouTube channel www.youtube.com/panacea81 .
In the short, unsettling video, Lauren appears onscreen with severe cuts and bruises on her face. Her injuries are fake, but the viewer is led to believe that they have been inflicted on her by an abusive partner. She proceeds to deliver her make-up tutorial, calmly applying foundation to cover up her bruises and giving practical tips on how to minimise the effects of physical violence. The video ends with a shocking statistic – 65% of women who experience domestic violence keep it hidden – followed by the message ‘Don’t cover it up’ where viewers can access further support and information about domestic violence.
Lauren Luke has a huge online following of teenage girls and young women. Research shows that abuse in teenage relationships is alarmingly common, and Refuge believes that much more work needs to be done to reach this group and educate them about domestic violence. A survey undertaken by Refuge and YouGov in 2009 revealed that over half of young women aged 18-21 had experienced at least one abusive incident from a boyfriend, husband or partner. Despite this, only 41% said that they would know where to go for help if they experienced domestic violence.
Refuge hopes that this video will be shared far and wide among young women and girls, helping to raise awareness of abuse. Viewers are encouraged to share the video with friends, text to donate to Refuge, and sign a petition which Refuge has launched with Red magazine, calling for more life-saving domestic violence services across the country.
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A great cause to support. Needs to be more done abut DV. Liked and shared xx
Such a tough subject, but hoping in time it will help all those who are in/coming out of a domestic violent home & seek the help/support they need as they learn to spread their wings for freedom xx
I wish this was about when i was hiding it, my family and friends knew about it, but i used to cover it up until he started to hit me where no-one could see it, but my family and friends knew it still went on, as i changed i wasnt the person i use to be, i with didnt cover it up, but cant change the past
The only good thing to come from that mess was my kids x x
Aw this is so sad. More need to be done and more support is needed. I know its hard but women or men need the support to open up and say this is wrong i need to get away. Great cause xx
a very good was of getting the msg accross
im shocked at the dv statistics and the amount of womeb who die in these relationships because they cover it up.. such a good cause xx
fab cause to back , n a subject that is not brought up and addressed properly , which it should …….. u get our suport on this one as we know u urself have been through it n u have helpped many mums n still helpping other mums stepping forwad n getting the help n suport they need xxx
such a hard topic, one of which that is close to ny heart, i have witnessed what it does to a family. much more needs to be done for both men and women that go through this daily xx
more defiantly needs to be done to help women in this situation. lets help them break the silence
Wot a great way to get such an important MSG across. I think this will b very powerful. X
This is a subject close to my heart and a great campaign to be backing even if you only stop one more poor girl from going through what many of us have then it’s so worth it xxx
An sorry sue but you saying ‘ it would only happen the once’ is wrong I never ever fought my ex would hit me but he did over and over and over again and I always use to say before I was in a relationship that I would leave the first time they hit me but unless you have been in the situation you don’t know how you would react its very hard to get out of a dv relationship! I will be backing this 110%
I have never been phsycally abused but I have experienced emotional, controllin etc. I have done the freedom programme 3 times and it opens your eyes. For anyone who as been trapped in this sort of relationship must be awful. I am behind this 100%
this is a brilliant cause.
Love is very strong and its hard to leave
Fab cause!! Behind it 100%. DV is hard to get away from. Love can be blind xx
This is such a good cause. Hopefully it will help people in that situation. I think we make excuses for people when they beat us especially if you love them. I have never been hit beaten but mentally been abused by an ex he was very controlling and I lost a lot of friends the scars were on the inside not the outside. X
i have never been a vivtim, but so many of the women in my family have. so this is very close to my heart. very good campaign xx
I have been a victim of dv and its awful… Mentally physically and sexually. So this is a great cause xxx
i hope to god no one has to go through the hurt, humiliation, the dergradation, the pain, physically , mentally and emotionally that DV brings with it, but the fct is .. it does keep happenening and so many women feel so isolated and thats another big reason its kept covered up. im sorry but to the women that say ‘ nah it would only ever happen the once for me ‘ yeh i said that too ! you can NEVER say what, how, you woud deal or cope with it etc until you have experienced it. hopefully u never will !
This is a great blog, thank you for sharing it with everyone! At West Mercia Women’s Aid, we are now running The CRUSH Project, which helps young people aged 13 – 19, who at risk of or experiencing Domestic Abuse, make safe and healthy relationships. We’ve been supporting women and children for 30 years and will continue to do so. We hope that CRUSH will help young people avoid dangerous situations that lead to abusive relationships. Campaigns like Refuge’s one with Lauren are amazing in helping to raise awareness and campaign for change.
very good cause and a very good way of putting the message across. Everyone should get behind it 100%. x
very good way of getting the message across, what a wonderful campaign x
very worthy cause xx