A Moroccan television host has defended presenting a segment that gave women tips on how to cover up facial bruises from domestic violence with makeup.
The channel 2M apologized last week after it aired the controversial six-minute tutorial. A woman with what appeared to be black eyes and purple marks on her cheeks sat in a chair while host Lilia Mouline covered the injuries using foundation and powder.
The channel issued an apology to Facebook after a petition against the feature on Change.org gathered almost 2,000 signatures.
According to the Washington Post, Mouline told news website Yabiladi that the piece did not endorse domestic violence and that she was merely providing realistic advice.
"We are here to provide solutions to these women who, for a period of two to three weeks, are putting their social life aside while their wounds heal," she told the news organization. "These women have already been subjected to moral humiliation and do not need to also have others looking at them. Makeup allows women to continue to live normally while waiting for justice."
The Casablanca-based station deleted the original video, which has now gone viral on social media.
The station made a statement to Facebook in French, which, according to an English translation from Morocco World News, read: "Management believes that this segment is completely inappropriate and displays a lack of editorial understanding due to the sensitivity and seriousness of the subject of violence against women.
"This approach is in total contradiction with the editorial identity of the channel and the commitment of 2M for 27 years in favor of the defense of women's rights."
