Cheil Romania is continuing to support the work of ANAIS, the anti-domestic violence association, with a new campaign that warns of the dangerous escalation of abuse that occurs during a social distancing lockdown.
Titled “The Violence Curve,” this film takes the chart graphics that have become familiar on the news in relation to the coronavirus epidemic, and provides an alternate version which shows the rising curve of domestic abuse that inevitably occurs in parallel with the spread of COVID-19 and enforced social isolation.
All the films in this campaign carry the hashtag #IsolateViolence, and urge people to call emergency services if they hear anything suspicious.
While social distancing is massively helping the overburdened healthcare system, another dangerous virus is spreading in people’s homes. Domestic violence has registered a surge as those with an inclination towards abuse are spending more time in uninterrupted contact with their victims. Sometimes in the same room, as more than 55% of Romanians live in overcrowded homes, according to Eurostat.
One million Romanians (out of a total population of 19.5 million) has entered technical unemployment status because of the lockdown. Every 30 seconds a Romanian woman is beaten, and 30% have been physically or verbally abused from the age of 15. In the current pandemic, these numbers will increase.
Mihai Gongu, executive creative director at Cheil Romania, said: “At Cheil, we have always been fully committed to doing good with data and helping communities with work that changes behavior for the better. This campaign was the first work produced since the agency switched to working remotely, just like our clients and production partners.”
Cheil Romania has worked with ANAIS for over a year, and together they created the “Unquiet Voices” campaign, which won a Gold and a Silver at the LIA awards.
