Walls Have Ears (and Voices) in Campaign Against Gender Violence

'If only these walls could talk' might seem like wishful thinking, but Spanish charity Fundación Mujeres has enabled bricks and mortar to do exactly that in a campaign that highlights the harrowing consequences of gender violence crimes.

Rather than telling the stories of murdered women, the focus is on the 'other' victims of the crimes - the families left behind, and their struggle to cope with the financial, practical and emotional fall-out from the tragedies. 

70 per cent of women murdered as a result of gender violence crimes in Spain are mothers. In many cases, these crimes are committed in the presence of their children.  The families that take on the guardianship of these children often have to face complex legal battles related to custody and the children’s economic interests, even against the murderers of their mothers. 

To raise awareness of the issue ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November, TBWASpain created Paredes Que Hablan (Talking Walls), an experiential exhibition in Madrid's Atocha train station. By 'listening' to one of the four different walls - each designed to look like a segment from a room in a house - passers-by can hear the stories of victims' families, as if they were eavesdropping on a conversation in the next room.   

To achieve the effect, specialist bone conductor technology, which converts electrical impulses into vibrations that are then transmitted through bone to the inner ear, and received as sound, was developed with the help of Glassworks and a team of engineers.   

Running until 1 December, it's hoped that the exhibition will help break the silence surrounding violence against women in Spain.