The Edmonton Police Service has launched a graphic ad campaign to raise awareness about domestic violence and help rein in an escalating trend of abuse in the city.
The “Speak Out” ad campaign features posters with battered, scared, or sobbing women with duct tape across their mouths and the words “Speak Out—We need your help” scrawled on the tape.
Fifteen-second TV commercials show similar close-ups of distressed women, with sirens and police dispatch sounds in the background.
“Domestic violence or intimate partner violence should not be tolerated in any form, or at any level of society,” said Staff Sgt. Darcy Strang of the Edmonton Police Service’s (EPS) Domestic Offender Crime Section.
“These victims sometimes feel isolated and afraid to leave their abusive relationship, but they need to know that the police take the victim’s situation very seriously and can provide not only legal assistance but social support connections.”
The EPS says there has been a 30 percent increase in domestic violence reported in the city this year. Between January and August of 2012, police responded to 5,300 cases of domestic violence, compared to 4,100 cases over the same time period the year before.
“While these figures are troubling, they also underline a positive trend: more and more people, not only victims but members of the community, are taking a stand against domestic violence and reporting these incidents to police,” said Strang.
“I’m hopeful our ”Speak Out“ campaign will empower others to do the same and come forward.”
The ads aim to reach victims, perpetrators, and witnesses of abuse, and will air on Edmonton TV stations, while posters will be placed at public transit stations and on billboards.
Materials will also be given to high schools to raise awareness among 15 to 24 year olds, one of the age groups most likely to experience abuse.
Violence does not discriminate, however, according to the Calgary Domestic Violence Committee (CDVC), which represents a collaboration of social profit agencies, funders and governmental departments that work to address domestic violence.
CDVC reports estimate that around 200,000 adults in Alberta live with family violence—across all ages, income levels, and cultural backgrounds.
Calgary-based group Peer Support Services for Abused Women says that there is no socio-economic profile of an abuser. However, abusers often have many characteristics in common, including intense jealousy, controlling behaviour, “Jekyll and Hyde” personality, explosive temper, blame others for their faults, come from abusive families or were previously exposed to abuse, or have a history of trouble with the law.
The Speak Out campaign coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Sunday, Nov. 25. November is also Family Violence Prevention month in Alberta.
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