Many women get their partners’ names or initials tattooed on their bodies, either under coercion or emotional pressure, but few stories are as extreme as the one recently revealed by Dutch foundation Stichting Spijt van Tattoo (Tattoo Regret). An abusive man personally inked his name and initials dozens of times on his girlfriend’s body, as a way of branding her as his property.
Referred to only as ‘Joke’ by Stichting Spijt van Tattoo, the middle-aged woman reportedly endured years of abuse and could only cope by numbing herself with alcohol and pills. Her controlling ex reportedly bought a cheap tattooing machine online and personally inked about 250 tattoos on her body, including “property of”, his name and his initials.
“[He tattooed her] In places he thought had been touched by other men, such as her breasts and buttocks. It was a sign of control and possession,” Andy Han, founder of Stichting Spijt van Tattoo, said, adding that some of the tattoos were on her face and neck.
Dutch publication NL Times published before and after photos of Joke, revealing her shocking transformation from having her face covered in tattoos to an almost completely clean slate. Both the victim and Stichting Spijt van Tattoo hope that this shocking story will inspire other victims of abuse to come forward and seek help.
“Those who have been deeply hurt can get back up,” Joke said on the foundation’s website. “If I can do it, then someone else can too.”
Asked if she did anything to fight back against her abusive ex-boyfriend, Joke said that she reported him to the Dutch authorities, but he has yet to face any consequences.
“Any reasonable person knows someone wouldn’t voluntarily get tattoos near the eye, on the nose or on the ear,” Andy Han said. “But ultimately, the authorities couldn’t pursue it because it was legally difficult to prove. Her ex claimed she consented. For Joke, that feels like an injustice.”
Joke hopes to be rid of all her tattoos by the end of this year, but the trauma will probably need years more to heal.
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