UN Women: InkVisible Strangulation

To reduce spousal abuse in Pakistan, UN Women, in collaboration with IMPACT BBDO, have launched a powerful campaign that showcases brides wearing traditional henna, but not as you would expect them to. Beautiful patterns of henna, instead of traditionally being drawn on hands and feet, form the shape of a black eye on a bride. In another visual, strangulation marks from a large male hand appear around a bride’s neck . Another visual shows what would be an injury on a bride’s forehead and a cut lip drawn out by henna. The jarring visuals are meant to raise the alarm, and to inform millions of married women that they can call a national helpline to seek help. 1 in 3 married women reportedly face physical and mental abuse by their partners, and a vast number don’t report the crime out of fear that the violence may escalate, or due to societal taboos around divorce. A paramount objective for UN Women is to end violence against women, working to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence, sexual violence, and harmful practices like child marriage.