Russian tattoo artist transforms abuse scars into butterflies
Domestic violence is a widespread problem in Russia and some forms of abuse have now been decriminalized. Tatoo artist, Yevgeniya Zakhar, is helping victims hide their scars.
Tattoos to cover scars
Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, passed a controversial bill known as the "slapping law." It says that a man who beats his wife, but manages to leave only bruises or abrasions, will no longer be guilty of a crime. The violence is classed as an administrative offense. Tattoo artist, Yevgeniya Zakhar, gives free tattoos to victims of domestic abuse, to cover their scars.
Listening to her clients' stories
Yevgeniya posted an ad on her social media page last year, offering to ink abused women for free, after hearing about a Brazilian tattoo artist who came up with the idea. Soon, she was flooded with requests - and became so stressed hearing her clients' stories of beatings and burnings, that she had to limit the number of women she sees to one day a week.
Enduring pain again
Guldar, who is getting a tattoo on her belly, cringes with pain. Yevgenia explains, "I didn't expect to be inundated with clients. I had to work on two to four women per day. It's really scary to see the extent of this problem and hear what people are saying." Yevgeniya works in Ufa, a city about 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) east of Moscow.
Thousands of women are killed every year
Domestic violence is a long-standing problem in Russia. Police estimate that about 40 percent of all violent crimes take place within families. In 2013 alone, around 9,100 Russian women died as a consequence of domestic violence. Another 11,300 suffered severe injuries, says human rights advocate Anna Rivina, head of the project "Nasiliju.Net" (No to Violence).
Signs of violence
Yevgeniya shows the scars left on her client Lilya. Women usually pick butterflies or floral designs to cover the visible signs of abuse. They confide in the artist, sharing the horrors of relationships that turned viciously violent. Transforming the scars into something of their own choosing boosts the womens' self-esteem and helps them gain new perspectives on the trauma.
No help from police
Yevgeniya hugs a client. She has tattooed more than 1,000 women at no cost since she started reaching out to abuse victims last year. She says not one reported receiving help from police. "Girls are willing to talk, often because it will be the last time they speak about the scars," she said. "They don't talk about it later because they will be talking about their beautiful tattoo, not a scar."