Violence against women concerns us all and everyone can do something to help. This is the emotional appeal by the national kick-off campaign by the “Stärker als Gewalt” (stronger than violence) initiative developed by Edelman Deutschland for the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ). On the International Day against Violence against Women, Women's Minister Dr Franziska Giffey is presenting the new initiative in Berlin today.
Statistically, one in three women in Germany is affected by violence at least once in her life. However, the topic is a taboo one and few people have the courage to talk about it. The interactive “What is your number” campaign is therefore a conversation-starter: it personalises the abstract statistics and shows that violence against women takes place everywhere – even in our own environments. The emotional “Gemeinsam stärker als Gewalt” (Stronger together against violence) information spot localises the figures in our everyday lives – in our neighbourhoods, on our way to work, in shopping centres. It can affect a colleague, a friend, even your own sister.
Light installations in 22 cities pick up on this narrative and have been projecting the number of women affected locally in prominent places since Saturday. On the initiative website, people can find out with only a few clicks how many women could be affected in their own environment and share this information in social networks within an offer to help those concerned. Celebrity support is received by the campaign from the actor Minh Khai Phan Thi, podcaster Mirella Precek and presenter Marlene Lufen, for example..
The “Stronger than violence” initiative aims to empower people to take a stand against violence and prevent it. The message: our society should refuse to accept violence. For the very first time, organisations such as the telephone hotline "Gewalt gegen Frauen" (Violence against women), the federal association of women's advice centres and emergency hotlines and the Frauenhauskoordinierung e.V. are merging throughout Germany under the motto of “Gemeinsam stärker als Gewalt” and bundling their support and advisory offers on the website. This information helps to detect violence, provide those affected with better support and enable people to find ways to escape violence.
Christiane Schulz, CEO Edelman Deutschland: “Our publicity campaign aims to motivate people to take a stand on violence against women. After all, only by coming together can we be stronger than violence and be able to break social taboos. We are delighted and proud of the fact that we are able to implement this important initiative for the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.”
Manuel Frank, CCO Edelman Deutschland: “With “Stärker als Gewalt” and the kick-off campaign, we are showing how personal, emotional and ‘near’ socio-political communication can and has to be for this issue. The moment we realise that we know more women affected than we think is powerful. But our creation is not only meant to shock – it is also motivating. We are sending a message of strength to those affected, their environments and the many supporters of the initiative.”
Edelman implements the communication fully integrated and in-house. The Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth commissioned Edelman with the publicity campaign in early October and it will run until the end of 2021. Apart from joint projects with the partners of the initiative, there are also plans for focal campaigns on the topic of detecting violence and taking action, for example.