solace

Uncovering the truth about hidden abuse in a world first

the task

Solace Women’s Aid wanted to get hidden abuse out in the open and talked about, but with a minimal budget, we needed to be clever and innovative rather than rely on expensive media.

Informed imagination

The hidden story behind a ‘happy couple’

Many people think domestic abuse is physical: bruises, scars, or worse. But the truth is, many forms of domestic abuse don’t leave physical scars: coercive control, gaslighting, and constantly belittling a partner are just as much a form of domestic abuse as physical violence.

We identified Twitter’s Hide Replies feature as a highly relevant feature to showcase this.

We featured a selfie from a seemingly happy, cuddled-up couple and then prompted users to click the ‘hide replies’ button. In doing so, we revealed the true story of hidden abuse in this relationship. This image was followed by a short video exposing the abusive, controlling relationship behind the selfie.

We allowed people to see the hidden abuse behind a seemingly happy couple, using the phrase ‘this is what domestic abuse looks like’ and Twitter’s hidden replies feature to show the hate-filled message from man to woman. The Twitter thread then directed people to Solace Women’s Aid website and their helpline for anyone who needs it.

Visible Data

Twitter Targeted

According to the Office for National Statistics 2019 report, almost 1 in 3 women aged between 16 and 59 will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, and it takes, on average, six and a half years for a woman to leave an abusive relationship. We worked with Twitter to target those aged 16 to 59 who are active Twitter users.

Visible tech

Hide Replies

We knew Twitter’s R&D department was about to launch a new feature – a ‘hide replies’ button – a tool created to deter aggressive conversation by giving tweet authors the option to hide replies to their tweets, giving them back control of their conversations. Working with Twitter, we explored the tech and used it to set up an interactive journey.

How CXM lit the fuse for Solace

We raised awareness of Solace and empowered women to share experiences and act. The campaign was widely awarded at Creative Circle, BIMA, Drum Awards, and Creative Pool.