1in4 Women Campaign Launched (Picture by Julian Nieman)
Yesterday, Avon Cosmetics and national domestic violence charity Refuge launched a new online campaign to expose the shocking reality that one woman in four experiences domestic violence at some point in her life.
The campaign launch sees the unveiling of a brand new 1in4women Facebook App and microsite, both designed to powerfully highlight the alarming extent of domestic violence.
Downloadable via the Avon UK and Refuge Facebook pages, the App applies the one in four women statistic to the user’s profile and posts a personalised message which exposes exactly how many of their friends could be affected by abuse.
This shocking number will be displayed on the user’s wall and newsfeed and will link through to the campaign’s microsite - 1in4women.com - for expert information on how to help protect a friend from becoming part of this horrific statistic.
Angela Tucker, National Sales Director for Avon UK says, "It is unacceptable that so many women in modern day society are affected by such a deplorable crime. Harnessing Avon’s unprecedented woman-to-woman network of Representatives and the significant reach of social media, we are determined to confront this issue.
"Simple and easy to use, we hope the 1in4women App will send a shockwave of awareness through the online community and empower women to speak out against domestic violence."
Sandra Horley, CBE, CEO of Refuge, says: "Domestic violence cuts through all social barriers - it can happen to any woman.
"Despite the fact that there are thousands of women and children experiencing domestic violence every day the issue remains behind closed doors.
"Refuge is determined to raise awareness of the insidious crime of domestic violence and we hope to achieve this through the launch of the 1in4women campaign. The Facebook App will bring the reality of the numbers of women likely to be affected by domestic violence to the forefront of people’s minds and generate much needed support for victims."
Prompted by the British Crime Survey finding that just 16% of domestic violence incidents are reported to the police, the 1in4women campaign calls on women to speak out and reach out to support a friend in need.
By breaking down the taboo around this major social problem, www.1in4women.com urges everyone to recognise and remember the signs of domestic violence, and empowers them to support a friend who might be suffering in silence now, or in the future.
DJ, author and Refuge supporter, Lauren Laverne comments: "It’s shocking to think that one-quarter of all the women I know will experience domestic violence at some time in their lives - and that some of them could be going through it right now.
"It’s so important to know what signs to look out for and how to support a friend who is being abused. That’s why I’m supporting Refuge and Avon’s 1in4women campaign: because the more we all understand about domestic violence, the more women will be able to escape it and rebuild their lives free from fear."