Walloon and Brussels authorities have launched an awareness campaign that highlights that domestic violence is not only physical but also emotional and can involve humiliating or controlling one’s partner.
Unlike previous campaigns that encourage victims (who are mostly women) to seek help, this initiative targets the aggressors with four video spots and three posters seeking to highlight nuances and less obvious forms of domestic abuse.
The video clips depict daily scenes such as dinner, a social gathering, prepping for a girls’ outing, and an evening watching a film together. The scenarios start with respectful partner interactions which then descend into controlling, belittling or suspicious behaviour. This prompts the viewer to question whether such behaviour could constitute domestic violence.
The posters provide clear answers to this enquiry. Silencing one’s partner because “I don’t want her to stand out”, or going through her phone under the pretext of protecting her; both of these constitute forms of controlling behaviour and would qualify as domestic violence. The public is reminded that love does not justify demeaning one’s partner.
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The Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Wallonia, and Cocof call on men to consider their behaviour. To facilitate this process, professionals can be reached via the domestic violence support line either by phone (0800/30.030) or online.
The campaign will be aired on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, for a month starting from 8 March, which marks International Women’s Rights Day. Posters will also be displayed in higher education institutions, sports clubs, courts, police stations, and psychomedical and cultural organisations.
