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Katia Andon
Professor Malvin
English 115
17 October 2016
Two Faced: Domestic Violence Awareness Towards Women
According to the World Health Organization, 35% of women worldwide have
experienced either physical and or sexual violence. Whether it is in public or in the privacy of
their own home, many women suffer from unhealthy relationships that tend to evolve physical
violence. Some women even go through abusive situations and scenarios daily. This not only
leaves emotional instability on the victims, but it strikes even more fear into these innocent
women. Due to the fear they have of their abuser, many women try to hide the fact that they are
victims and that they aren't in a safe environment when at home. Some women even try to
conceal their physical injuries and emotional anxiety using superficial methods. The reoccurring
battle of attempting to cover up abuse is represented in an advertisement campaign created by the
King Khalid Foundation, which exposes the cruelty that women undergo and the need to hide
their victim status. This advertisement portrays the struggle to conceal domestic violence through
graphic content and dark imagery. The credible sourcing, antithetical composition, and intense
conflict convey the strain of unhealthy intimate partner relationships.
To further describe the advertisements physical appearance, The setting of the image has
a black backdrop. There is what seems to be a young woman in the center of the photo. She is
wearing a black niqab, a traditional Muslim garment that covers most of the face except the eyes,
and is attached to a black hijab, a veil that covers the hair and chest. The pictures main focus is

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of the womans face, especially here eyes. She is wearing black eyeliner on the top and bottom
line of her eyelashes, along with dark mascara. Both of her large brown eyes are staring straight
into the camera lens. One of her eyes is beautifully alluring, while her other eye is severely
bruised with a black eye. Both of her eyes seem to be welled up, as if she about to cry. Towards
the bottom of the advertisement is a slogan that reads, Some things cant be covered, fighting
womens abuse together(King Khalid Foundation). Below the slogan is the name of the
organization that created the advertisement, the King Khalid Foundation, and has their website
also listed. There is also an Arabic translation of the organizations name listed with the English
version. The advertisement has many tactics and appeals such as ethos, logos and pathos that are
incorporated into the image, which is why is it so impactful.
The advertisement appeals to the viewers ethos through credible sponsorship and
understandable syntax. The source of this advertisement is the King Khalid Foundation, which is
an organization that was named after a past king of Saudi Arabia that was known for his extreme
concern regarding the social and economic conditions of his people. The anti-abuse campaign
had also submitted a draft law in regards to women and child abuse prevention, and has been
passed by the Saudi Arabian government. The foundation is located in Saudi Arabias capital,
and the name of their foundation is also written in Arabic on the advertisement. With the women
in the image wearing a niqab, a popular garment in Saudi Arabia, the advertisement uses clothing
and language to portray a certain audience and ethos to its message. This advertisement is also
presented in the English language, which is the most known language by the rest of the
population. The woman in the image not only is covered head to toe except her eyes, but one of
her eyes is bruised and watery, with a small phrase at the bottom of the advertisement stating,

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Some things cant be covered, fighting womens abuse together. Simple vocabulary and
minimal text is used in order for viewers to be able to easily understand the advertisement. This
technique allows for a broader audience, and more people can possibly be exposed to this
campaign, understand its message, and contact the foundation if needed.
The bold contrast used in the advertisements composition addresses the audiences sense
of logos by intensifying the distinction between covered and revealed. In the advertisement, the
woman is wearing a niqab, and the image is directed towards this womans eyes. Both eyes are
done up with makeup, but one eye has a horrible swollen, discolored bruise. In Hugh Ranks
Intensify/Downplay Schema, contrasting a message with an opposite can intensify the meaning
behind a certain advertisement or message. In the image, two different people in different
scenarios are being represented. Each side of the ad is so contrasting, that if it were ripped in
half, there would be two stories. The first story would be the ideal version of a happy and healthy
woman. The other story tells of a woman who is in pain and suffering, with a big shiner to prove
it. The logical distinction in the advertisement creates the idea that their can be two completely
different scenarios revolving around one person. One covers the unhealthy relationship with the
clothing and the makeup, and the other reveals the true nature of her partner, which is aggression
and bad intentions. The presentation of the woman's physical appearance also expresses that
makeup and clothes are used as a metaphor to represent the attempt to cover up an ongoing issue.
It clearly spreads the message that no matter how much effort is put in to hide the pain, the actual
abuse will never go away.
The dark imagery of the advertisement appeals to the readers pathos by dramatizing the
disturbing struggle to conceal domestic violence. In the image, the womans eyes do not look

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happy at all. In fact, her eyes look teary and portray the emotion of deep hopelessness. The
image is also very dark in color and in theme, with the woman wearing a black niqab with a
black background, and having the womans wounded eyes as the main focus of the picture. Even
the color of her wounded and swollen eye is dark, with hues of blue, red and purple. This
advertisement also allows the viewer to use their imagination when thinking about the bigger
picture, especially because the images sole focus is on the womans face. Maybe the woman is
in a certain location or situation and is in need of help. Maybe she has more injuries and bruises
on the rest of her body, but they are not visible due to the niqab hiding them. The advertisement
also uses personification when referencing the clothing worn by the woman in the picture as a
way to shield or cover the abuse and harm that has been done to her. Almost as if to say that if
you were to put on make up and clothes, the evidence on your body of physical abuse will
disappear. This advertisement will particularly have an effect on women who are going through a
similar situation or know somebody that is. If a woman that can relate to this advertisement sees
it in a magazine or on a billboard, they will be able to understand it and connect with it on a level
much different than how a person who is unfamiliar with domestic violence would. This
campaign can be used as a way for women to get the help they need, and not be forced to cover
their injuries and their ongoing pain any longer.
While the struggle to expose harmful relationships towards women continues, the victims
of these situations should not have to live with scars and bruises physically and emotionally.
Covering your feelings and your injuries is not only damaging toward yourself, but it is not
making the situation any better for anyone else. Speaking up, getting help, and voicing your
stories and experiences to organizations such as the creators of the King Khalid domestic

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violence campaign can help others with the same struggles feel comfortable and safe enough to
reach out as well. Whether makeup and or clothing is used to attempt to conceal the abuse, the
bruises and the insults are still visible and remembered. As women continue to suffer and seek
help every day all around the world, statistics will hopefully lower in the number of females
living through this destructive environment.

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Work Cited
King Khalid Foundation. King Khalid Foundation, 2011, http://www.kkfeng.org/index.html
Accessed 24 Oct. 2016.
Rank, Hugh. Intensify/Downplay. Models for Writers: Short Essays For Composition, Edited
by Alfred F. Rosa and Paul A. Eschholz, 11th ed., Bedford/St.Martins, 2012, pp.100-102.
World Health Organization. Global and Regional Estimates of Violence Against Women:
Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence and Non-Partner Sexual Violence. World Health
Organization, 2013, pp.22.