“There is no place in our society for cowardly acts of violence against women and girls, ” explains Mims Davies, Minister for Safeguarding. She adds:  “Abuse comes in many forms, and by standing against all of them, and holding perpetrators accountable, we can create a society where women and girls are safe.”

Holding such abusers to account is the focal point of The Home Office’s second phase of its “Enough – Violence Against Women And Girls” campaign created by FCB Inferno. A campaign which encourages the public to challenge perpetrators of abuse and support victims.

The campaign builds upon the TV ad that ran in March this year, with a range of new supporting digital, radio and out-of-home executions. 

To attract the attention of bystanders the campaign draws on locations where violence against women most commonly occurs and shows actions that the public can take to help stop the abusive behaviour. 

The new out of home executions have been shot by photographer, David Stewart and depict a variety of familiar situations. The first shows a group of bus travelers observing an act of harassment. The ad poses the question: “Enough. If you saw a man harassing a woman, what would you do?” While thought bubbles suggest some actions travelers could take such as “I’ll ask the driver to help.” and “I’ll interrupt and ask what the next stop is.” 

Another execution shows a group of office workers witnessing a female colleague being harassed off camera. One thinks: “I’ll ask if she wants to report it to HR”, another “I’ll call him out.” 

The visuals are based on audience insights and informed by an advisory group of over 40 voluntary sector organizations, survivors and academics who shared their expertise around abuse. The campaign aims to empower people to act against abuse and create a new social norm giving the public more confidence to speak up so in turn perpetrators know their actions will not be tolerated. 

“We all have the power to end violence against women and girls but it’s important we know how to speak up and act safely when we, as bystanders, see it happening.” explained Emily Whiteaway, Business Director at FCB Inferno. “The latest creative arms the public with a range of interventions, being visible and instructive in the moments they witness the abuse.”

The campaign directs to a website page which includes information on how to safely tackle violence against women and girls, with example scenarios and a memorable mnemonic to help stop abuse. This focuses on the advice to say something, tell someone, offer support, provide a diversion.

Turning a blind eye to abuse that happens in public is all too common and so this campaign aims to work toward creating a cultural shift that sees action. By empowering the public, supporting victims and saying ‘enough’ to abusers, the campaign shines a light on abuse and encourages meaningful change.