1:48PM, Wed Jul 4, 2012

South Shields Make-up Star Lauren Luke In Shocking Domestic Violence Video

By Hugh Macknight Location: South Shields

Video from http://refuge.org.uk/lauren/

South Shields make-up star Lauren Luke has backed a campaign to uncover the truth behind domestic violence.

The single Mum appears with what appear to be cuts and a huge bruise on her face in the short video for the Refuge Don't Cover It Up campaign.

Her injuries are fake, but the viewer is led to believe they have been inflicted on her by an abusive partner.

She proceeds to deliver her make-up tutorial, calmly applying foundation to cover up her bruises and giving practical tips on how to minimise the effects of physical violence.

The 30-year-old, who has a huge online following of teenage girls and young women, said past bad experiences with a boyfriend made her want to do the campaign.

Her videos have had 140 million views and she has tens of thousands of followers, while also finding time to launch a make-up line across North America.

The video on Lauren’s YouTube channel www.youtube.com/panacea81 ends with a shocking statistic – 65 per cent of women who experience domestic violence keep it hidden – followed by the message ‘Don’t Cover It Up’.