Women’s rights are a constant battle that has come a long way recently, however in some places it would seem that the opposite holds true. This is especially true when it comes to unseen domestic violence. It is an unspoken problem plaguing the world. One artist and graphic artist in Turkey, Vahit Tuna wanted to bring awareness to his community about this exact issue. He wanted to make every one take notice of the women who have fallen victim to this terrible violence in just the last year.

He mounted 440 pairs of shoes up on the wall of a building in Istanbul, Turkey.

Domestic violence accounts for the majority of death of women in Turkey.

Over 40% of the women of Turkey have encountered some sort of domestic violence.

So this artist made a memorial that no one could ignore. It represents the 440 women that lost their lives in Turkey last year by their husbands.

A Turkish artist and graphic designer teamed up to create the concept.

The artist was inspired by the barrage of violent posts regarding the domestic violence issue on social media. Constant outcries. He noticed the stories would be forgotten too soon so he decided to bring more awareness to the issue.

He chose to use high-heels to represent feminine power and independence.

The high heels did not belong to the victims but they are a representation of the individuals who lost their lives to domestic violence.

In some regions of Turkey, it is tradition to place a persons shoes outside after they die as a symbol of mourning.

More info: Yankose

This art installation will stay in the center of Istanbul for 6 months. Its purpose is to raise awareness about a growing issue in Turkey while memorializing the victims of domestic abuse who are being forgotten. This visual representation is sure to reach hundreds of thousands of people and hopefully spark a cultural change.