This incredible artist does free tattoos for victims of domestic abuse

People say scars fade, but that doesn’t mean the victim ever forgets how they got them. That’s why Brazilian tattoo artist Flavia Carvalho is giving free tattoos to women who have suffered from domestic abuse. She covers their scars and injuries with beautiful artwork, taking a painful memory and turning it into something magical.

She spoke to the Huffington Post about how she got the idea, which began with a single client who wanted to cover up a scar:

That’s when she decided to start A Pele da Flor, or The Skin of the Flower, a project that provides free tattoos for women who want to cover marks and reminders of domestic abuse. The response was overwhelming.

Carvalho posts before and after pictures to Facebook so everyone can get a glimpse of the good work she’s doing (warning, these are images of scars, so keep that in mind if you’re squeamish!):