A make-up store in Kazakhstan has made a video on what cosmetics to use ‘if your husband beats you’, in an attempt to highlight the country’s domestic violence problem.
The video, which has since been removed by the original poster – Moodmart.kzbased in the city of Almaty – features a mock influencer-style video showing how to deal with and cover up signs of abuse.
The clip was reposted by news media Village Kazakhstan on Instagram, showing the store’s founder, Zhuldyz Akim, appearing to have applied makeup to look bruised and bloodied.
“First of all, don’t use acids,” she said jovially to the camera. “I’m sure you understand that when you have trauma, the skin becomes very sensitive and, to be honest, we have enough toxicity in our lives.”
Her next hacks involved ‘repairing and moisturizing our skin with creams like Manyo, Abib’. But she warned not to mix this with Bepanthen, an ointment often used for skin injuries.
A make-up store in Kazakhstan has made a video on what cosmetics to use ‘if your husband beats you’, in a bid to highlight the country’s problem with domestic violence
“Next, if you’ve gotten a bruise like me, let’s just get a good eye cream, base, and high coverage foundation,” Zhuldyz continued. “I mean, it’s not his fault, it’s mine.
“And if you have any bleeding on your lips, you can cover it all up with Kiko Milano, shade number 16, and you’ll be on trend with plump, kissed lips.”
She signed off the video as a “happy wife and loving mother.” MailOnline has contacted Moodmart.kz for comment.
According to Village Kazakhstanthe original clip was viewed 1.6 million times after being shared with Moodmart.kz’s 64,800 followers and was intended to draw attention to the scale of the problem in the Central Asian country.
According to a UN women In a 2018 survey, 17 percent of the country’s “ever partnered women ages 18 to 75” said they had experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence, while 21 percent had experienced psychological abuse.
And legislation on this in Kazakhstan continues to infuriate activists and human rights groups.
In October, Amantai Zharkynbek, a deputy of the ruling Amanat political party, even claimed that if a man is sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest for domestic violence, his wife should suffer the same for “provoking” the incident.
Last year, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the nation in an article to tighten laws when it comes to domestic violence.
The clip was reposted on Instagram by news channel Village Kazakhstan and shows the store’s founder, Zhuldyz Akim, who appears to have applied makeup to look bruised and bloodied.
The country’s president, Kassym Jomart Tokayev (pictured in 2022), has repeatedly called for greater attention to this issue
Mihra Rittmann, senior researcher in Central Asia, said: ‘Kazakhstan’s existing laws effectively leave survivors of domestic violence behind, and women have paid a high price for delays in law reform.
“Lawmakers must urgently seize this opportunity to ensure new laws fully protect women from domestic violence.”
The rights group also stressed that the country’s current laws mean that domestic violence is ‘not a standalone criminal offence’. Support and resources for survivors are also typically difficult to obtain, especially for residents of rural areas.
Bills and bills appear to have been introduced repeatedly to strengthen protections for survivors and encourage prevention, but it is not clear whether any changes have been formally implemented.
The country’s president, Kassym Jomart Tokayev, has repeatedly called for greater attention to the issue.
HRW also said that police in the country receive more than 100,000 domestic violence complaints every year, according to the Ministry of Interior.
The report added: ‘In the first ten months of 2022, 93 women in Kazakhstan were killed in domestic violence-related murders and 794 criminal cases were opened for moderate and serious charges of bodily harm.’