Artist redraws Marge Simpson and Disney princesses as battered and bruised victims of domestic violence

Illustrations put a sinister spin on iconic cartoons to highlight the realities of domestic abuse

They’re our favourite cartoon characters, but not as we know them.

Marge Simpson stands despondently with a black eye next to a grinning, vacant Homer. A trickle of blood comes from Lois Griffin’s nose as Peter drapes his arm around her. Wonder Woman has Superman’s hand clasped over her mouth, while Snow White lies battered at the feet of Prince Charming.

These illustrations are the work of an artist who has put a sinister spin on iconic animations in order to highlight the disturbing realities of domestic abuse.

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No Violence Against Women is a project by Italian artist and activist AleXsandro Palombo, 40, who is based in Milan.

It forces its audience to confront the plight some women go through under the pretence of a happy relationship or family.

“I wanted to give visibility to a problem that affects a great amount of women all over the world,” he told MailOnline.

“Domestic violence is a problem so widespread that victims and perpetrators could be anyone. Even in couples that appear to be normal.”

The British Crime Survey estimates that there were 12.9 million incidents of domestic violence acts against women in the UK in 2013.

And according to Women’s Aid, one in four women experience domestic violence over their lifetimes, and between 6 and 10 per cent of women suffer domestic violence annually.

It is not the first time Palombo has produced provocative work.

After he lost his own leg two years ago, the artist published a project called Do You Still Like Us?, depicting Disney characters with wheelchairs, crutches and missing limbs, which raised awareness around the subject of people with disabilities.