Built on the tragic and unacceptable fact that while football does not in itself cause domestic abuse, existing abuse typically intensifies during major tournaments, Women’s Aid leveraged Qatar 2022 and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women to raise awareness with a chilling film called ‘He’s Coming Home’.
The UK charity, which is dedicated to ending domestic violence against women and children, linked up with agency House 337 to show the dark side of major football tournaments which invariably drive a spike in domestic abuse.
Recent research carried out by the University of Lancaster found that existing domestic violence can increase by as much as 38% during major football tournaments and thus, tragically, for many women such competitions are a time of heightened fear. Plus, with the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup taking place in the Norther Hemisphere’s winter for the first time, the cold, dark weather means a higher percentage of fans watching from home which further adds to the potential for increased domestic abuse.
This campaign sets out to increase awareness with the aim of saving lives, to reassure these women that they are not alone and to remind everyone that if we can unite as a country to support a national football team, we can also come together to tackle domestic abuse.
It is spearheaded by a film based around a single tracking shot moving through a suburban cul-de-sac – with national flags hanging up outside in support of the team – while inside the homes people are enjoying the match. But as the camera reaches the last house in the lane, the mood changes, the cheers cease and a huge flag outside reads ‘He’s coming home’ to highlight the fear and isolation that many women experience throughout tournaments.
The hero ‘He’s Coming Home’ spot – which dropped on 24 November and marked 25 November’s ‘International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women’ as well as England’s second group game in the World Cup against the USA – offers support and publicises ways to contact Women’s Aid.
The core video is supported by social content and executions across OOH sites throughout the UK featuring the ‘He’s coming home’ flag.
The flag itself was designed by Corbin Shaw: a young artist whose work features hard-hitting words over the St George’s flag to challenge stereotypes of masculinity, class and LBGTQ+ issues. The flags created for the campaign will be auctioned at the end of the run to raise funds for the charity.
As many of us celebrate the #England win tonight, remember, many women & children will not be feeling quite so happy. #DomesticAbuse is known to increase during a big game. We’re here to remind you that heightened emotions and alcohol are NO excuse for abuse. #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/X6Cnfm1SP9
— Women's Aid (@womensaid) November 29, 2022
While football doesn’t cause #DomesticAbuse, high emotions and alcohol use are often used as an excuse for abuse. We’re here to tell you there is NO excuse for abuse. Stand with survivors share this post. #EnglandVsWales #WorldCup
For support https://t.co/1NHpOGuM9n pic.twitter.com/rkl14hDRgU
— Women's Aid (@womensaid) November 29, 2022
While many celebrate #FIFAWorldCup, it can be an occasion where many women live in fear for what's to come.
Please share our campaign for @womensaid far and wide to reach the people who need it most.
We stand with the survivors.#domesticabuse #HesComingHome #BeWomensAid pic.twitter.com/nKi85h6ahA
— House 337 (@wearehouse337) November 28, 2022
The Qatar 2022 related work is part of Women’s Aid’s two-year ‘Come Together To End Domestic Abuse’ initiative which will run through to 2024 and which seeks to encourage the public to join together in actions – big and small – to end domestic abuse. The initiative is backed by a team of Women’s Aid Patrons (including Spice Girl Melanie Brown and actor Dame Julie Walters) and promotes five actions that everyone can take to stop domestic abuse: including adding your voice to the campaigns and learning what to say to someone experiencing abuse.
Calls for new £1M cost of living fund to help struggling survivors of domestic abuse in push by Mel B https://t.co/6Bj4Y2bFVi
— Melanie Brown MBE (@OfficialMelB) November 30, 2022
“There is a role to play for everyone in helping to end domestic abuse, and raising awareness of the support available during major tournaments like the upcoming World Cup can help many women living with abusive partners,” explained Women’s Aid CEO Farah Nazeer. “While domestic abuse is not caused by football, we know existing abuse can become more severe or frequent during big tournaments. We ask everyone to help share this important campaign at a time when many women need to know how to get support.”
House 337 Creative Director Christoper Ringsell added: “During this time as the nation comes together we want to subvert the usual football tropes and shine a light on the chilling fact that for many women it’s a time of fear not celebration. They need your support too. The visual spectacle of the flag retains its power, but with a new, chilling twist. We want to encourage people to be aware of friends and neighbours in their community and come together to try and end domestic abuse. To seek out tangible things they can do to Be Women’s Aid”.
The campaign was created by a team at agency House 337 which included Executive Creative Director Jo Moore, Creative Director Chris Ringsell, Creatives Holly Fallows and Charlotte Watmough, Head Of Strategy Georgina Murray-Burton, Strategy Director
Laura Sammarco, Strategist Paul Lynch, Business Director Kat Thompson, Account Director Marianne Roberts, Account Manager Catia Fernandes Poon, Agency Producer Tash Dean, Project Manager Chelsea Chapman, Design Director Aaron Pacey, Head Of Production Victoria Fischer, Executive Producer Melody Sylvester, Artist Corbin Shaw and Photographer Felicity Crawshaw.
Production was handled by The Corner Shop, post production and VFX by Absolute, with Editorial from Work Editorial and music and sound by King Lear.
Comment
This is a chilling and unsettling campaign and one that follows in the footsteps of previous campaign highlighting how football events drive spikes in abuse against women such as the 2018 National Centre For Domestic Violence’s ‘Not So Beautiful Game’, while another powerful sports-themed initiative in this space was the 2014 MMA ‘Male v Female Cage Fight’.
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