Silent witnesses

Photography exhibition by campaign group Zero Tolerance aims to focus on the impact of violence in all walks of life and increase public awareness

THE hidden and under-reported forms of domestic violence are the subject of a new photography exhibition from campaign group Zero Tolerance.

Called Violence Unseen, it focuses on the less obvious ways women are bullied and harmed, including online abuse and threats to women in the public eye, as well as the huge number of women with physical and learning disabilities who are twice as likely to experience male violence.

Nearly three-quarters of all disabled women have experienced domestic abuse.

Rachel Adamson, Zero Tolerance co-director, said: “The exhibition aims to encourage members of the public to stop and consider the true impact of violence against all women. While women across every segment of society experience men’s violence, women from certain groups are even more at risk.

“These forms of violence often remain unacknowledged and unchallenged.”

MP Diane Abbott is the only non-Scot in the exhibition. In the run up to last year’s general election, almost half of all the abusive tweets sent to MPs were directed at her. These include death threats and threats of sexual violence.

She said: “It is terrifying that on average two women a week are killed by a current or former partner due to domestic abuse.

“The mindless abuse has been characteristically racist and sexist. I have had death threats and people tweeting that I should be hanged and raped.”

Mindless abuse has been racist and sexist. I have had death threats DIANE ABBOTT ON VOLUME OF ABUSE