When Brazilian tattoo artist Flavia Carvalho was approached by a woman who wanted to cover a scar caused by a man who stabbed her in the abdomen with a blade when she turned him down in a nightclub, she realised her skills could be used for a greater cause.

Touched by how moved her client was with her new ink, Carvalho began offering free body art to survivors of domestic violence looking to conceal permanent marks on their skin.

Two years on and under the project name “A Pele da Flor” which translates to “Skin of the Flower” (and comes from the Portuguese expression meaning 'deeper than skin'), Carvalho has since transformed many women's scars into beautiful, empowering and cathartic tattoos.

Speaking about her clients to Huffington Post, Carvalho says, “The sense of affection, sisterhood and camaraderie is deeper than I ever imagined. They contact me from all over the country, as well as from abroad. They come to the studio, share their stories of pain and resilience, and they show me their scars. Embarrassed, they cry, and hug me.”

This woman helps domestic abuse victims by offering free tattoos