Domestic violence affects people from all communities and backgrounds. There are still many victims who are unaware of available support services, which exacerbates the feeling that help is out of reach. Our campaign for Cumberland Council and Islamic Relief confronts the complex issue of domestic violence in an authentic way, empowering those affected to reach out and seek support.

Cumberland Council wanted to build community awareness around the reality of domestic violence and ensure that those affected have access to necessary support services. In partnership with Islamic Relief, Cumberland Council sought to reassure victims in the community that support was only one call away.

The campaign consisted of a three-part short film series that reached out to victims of domestic violence, assuring them that help can be found by calling 1800RESPECT, the national family domestic violence counselling hotline.

Dealing with a sensitive topic required a campaign that confronted the subject matter in an authentic and informed way. We worked with women’s shelters and heard real stories from domestic violence survivors. With permission, we then fictionalised parts of their stories to produce the three films. By presenting situations that felt genuine rather than sensationalist, we aimed to build empathy with those affected to ensure our call to seek help had more impact.

We partnered with Cumberland Council to run a total of three workshops with victims of domestic violence. We provided workshop materials, including brochures and pamphlets. With more than 20 victims attending the workshops, we helped to create a safe and supportive space that allowed them to process and move forward from the violence that they encountered.