Last week, we celebrated the bravery of Australian Labour party MP Emma Husar for standing up in the House of Representatives to speak up for victims of domestic violence, having herself being a survivor of abuse.
So, it's hard to believe that just one day later, a Moroccan state television show deemed it acceptable to broadcast a segment showing how women can cover up bruises from domestic violence with a bit of concealer and foundation.
Last week, daily programme Sabahiyat on Channel 2M, used a make-up artist to demonstrate how women could hide evidence of physical assault by covering up a woman's face with make-up – a face that had also been made up to appear swollen and covered in bruising around the eyes and cheekbones, as if from physical abuse.
At the end of the segment, the presenter told horrified viewers: 'We hope these beauty tips will help you carry on with your daily life'.
Yes, because a dab of concealer has the ability to mask on-going emotional and physical violence…
The broadcast came just two days before the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and in a country where in 2009, the Moroccan High Commission for Planning's national survey of women aged 18 to 25 found that 62.8 per cent had endured experienced 'physical, psychological, sexual, or economic violence'.
As a result, viewers launched a petition, which has since been signed by more than 500 men and women demanding an apology from the station.
Their message? 'Do not cover domestic violence with make-up, condemn the aggressor'.
The channel has since removed the clip from its website and posted a message on their Facebook page apologising for the segment to say it was 'completely inappropriate and has an editorial error of judgment in view of the sensitivity and the gravity of the subject of violence against women'.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
