Cornwall Council

Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls

Research
Advertising
Sustainability

We developed a communications campaign utilising behavioural science methods to encourage active bystander interventions and promote safer public spaces in our local area of Falmouth and Penryn.

Real stories and quotes from young people used to create authentic campaign messages

Student-driven campaign went live across Cornwall during the UN’s 16 Days of Activism

Outdoor, social, and web channels used to spotlight bystander action on gender-based violence.

Challenge

One in three women and girls in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are estimated to be affected by Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). As part of their VAWG strategy Cornwall Council asked us to develop a campaign to raise awareness that tackling VAWG is everyone’s responsibility.

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    Outcomes

    Our student teams pitched a broad range of ideas to the client and Justyna Skowrońska’s exceptional work was  selected to go into production. Justyna’s campaign “Not all Heroes Wear Capes” went live via outdoor advertising, social media and a feature on the Safer Cornwall website. 

    Justyna’s idea focussed on the positive impact of bystander interventions can have in situations including sexual abuse, harassment, stalking and online harm. The creative work incorporated real-life quotes from active bystanders and people who have been helped by an intervention shared by young people from across Cornwall. 

    The campaign was launched to coincide with 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, an annual international campaign led by the UN which ran through November and December in 2022.

    Faculty Team

    Lucy Cokes

    Student Involved

    Young women should not feel threatened or intimidated when they go out at night. The campaign we worked on with Justyna moves the focus firmly away from victims of sexual harassment, abuse and assault. The burden shouldn’t fall on women to keep themselves safe, especially when going out at night.

    Louise Knight
    Implementation Lead – Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence, Cornwall Council

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