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Hairdresser Posts Dramatic Photo Of Domestic Violence Victim To Raise Awareness

Hairdresser Posts Dramatic Photo Of Domestic Violence Victim To Raise Awareness

The woman gave permission for her images to be shared because she wanted people to know she was 'happy to be alive'...

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Roughly 1.3 million women experienced domestic violence in the UK in 2016, according to British charity Women's Aid, but that figure could be much higher because not every victim comes forward.

One of the big things that agencies and authorities encourage is women and men speaking up about their abuse so that the perpetrator can receive justice and that the issue isn't hidden in the shadows.

That's what a hairdresser has tried to do after a client walked into his studio and was covered in bruises and patchy hair. Andy Mendoza was so confused by the woman's appearance that he jokingly asked whether she had been in a brawl with someone.

Andy Mendoza/Instagram

As they got started on the haircut, Andy was shocked to find out that the young woman in front of him was nearly killed by her partner in a domestic violence attack. Writing on Instagram, the hairdresser wrote: "So today I received a visit from a beautiful soul who went through an awful experience.

"A coward tried to take her life and in the process cut and pulled her hair out!

"As I cut her hair, we talked, and I couldn't help but notice how nice she was, and how much she did NOT deserve what happened to her.

"No woman ever deserves this!"

Andy Mendoza/Instagram

Andy says the woman gave her permission for him to share her story and her pictures because she wanted people to know that she's 'happy to be alive'.

Her partner, Michael Truskauskas, has been arrested and is currently being held on a $100,000 bond. He reportedly beat, strangled and held a knife to the woman's neck during the horrific domestic violence attack.

Police have told Republican American that the 22-year-old threw the victim around his apartment 'like a rag-doll' and tried to break her fingers and wrists.

Authorities were alerted to the situation when a person sleeping in the backseat of a car saw the woman walking around with a bloodied and bruised face. She was reportedly hesitant at first to talk about the incident when police arrived, but they eventually located her boyfriend of a year and a half.

Andy Mendoza/Instagram

The report says the victim was so beaten up that her mum didn't recognise her.

Truskauskas has been charged with disorderly conduct, second-degree assault, violation of a protective order, second-degree threatening, second-degree strangulation, first-degree kidnapping, possession of less that four ounces of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He's also been charged with another drug offence because he lived within 1,000 feet of a school.

Featured Image Credit: Andy Mendoza/Instagram

Topics: Viral, Attack, Domestic violence, Inspirational, Feels, Community