The Wall for Women

YWCA Metro Vancouver and internationally-recognized artist, Ola Volo, have unveiled a 42-foot mural in downtown Vancouver, Canada that shows how domestic violence hides in plain sight. When you take a photo with your phone, hidden QR codes throughout the artwork reveal statistics about domestic violence in Canada. Users can then click directly on the stat which takes you to a website to learn more and donate to help the YWCA build new housing to serve women who have experienced violence.

Domestic violence has intensified under COVID-19, triggered by the social and economic impacts of the crisis and amplified by stay-at-home orders. Gender-based violence and abuse has risen by 20-30% in some parts of Canada, killing one woman every six days. Many are referring to this escalation in violence as a “shadow pandemic.”