Women's Aid has demanded an explanation from Dunnes Stores for selling a t-shirt depicting a woman who appears to have a black eye with the words 'True Love' above it.

The organisation, which represents women who are victims of domestic abuse, has sent a letter to the retail outlet amid controversy over the exact nature of the message on the t-shirt

A spokeswoman said there could be "all sorts of interpretations of the image" but is still seeking an exact clarification from Dunnes.

In the picture, a strand of hair passes over the woman's eye, but black lines below the eye have led people to speculate that the female is nursing a black eye. The topic has been raised among customers on an internet forum.

But Women's Aid has said it is categorically against any kind of fashion which would condone or promote domestic violence.

"Obviously we would be very much against any fashion trend or image that glamorised domestic violence. As an organisation that runs a national freephone helpline we hear from thousands of women each year living with domestic violence.

"It is a very serious crime. One in five women are beaten, raped and abused on a daily basis in Ireland and there is nothing glamorous about that."

Women's Aid last week launched its "16 Days of Action Campaign" in which it is hoping to underline the "very serious underside to intimate relationships in Ireland".

One Dunnes Stores customer, Sarah Furlong, said she saw the shirt and was "outraged".

"I couldn't believe it. There is a strand of hair coming down over her left eye and it looks okay at first, but when you look closely you see it seems like she has a black eye underneath. Even the fact that it open to such questions is wrong. I wouldn't buy it and know a few friends who wouldn't buy it either," she said.

One writer on popular internet forum boards.ie said: "I do think it looks like a black eye. Not sure what Dunnes was thinking. Yes, her hair is coming down but apart from that there's black under her eye. Unless she was interrupted before she could put eyeliner on her other eye, I don't believe it's 'arty' make-up."

Dunnes Stores refused to talk to the ­Sunday Tribune.