Problem? What problem?”

Amnesty International UK has launched a high-profile poster campaign to tackle complacency surrounding domestic violence in the UK.

The innovative campaign uses images of bruised and battered Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights in a series of posters supposedly advertising a new range of make-up for “bruising relationships”.

The make-up, called Cachez, is not a real product and the public awareness-raising posters are themselves branded with Amnesty International’s new campaign slogan, ‘Problem? What problem’, a reference to worryingly high levels of acceptance of domestic violence in British life.

An ICM survey last year, for example, showed that:

• almost one third (30%) of men believed that domestic violence is acceptable in some circumstances,
• one in five men would not call the police even when they knew someone was being mistreated by their partner, and
• more people (74%) would report a person for kicking or mistreating their dog than for kicking or mistreating their partner (53%).

The new posters begin appearing at prominent poster sites on the London Underground from 4 November, and will stay in place for a month.

Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said:

“Survivors of domestic violence and Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights’s groups are telling us that a powerful awareness-raising campaign is essential - that’s what these posters are about.

“Research shows that an all-too common reaction to the issue of domestic violence is to ask: ‘Problem? What problem?’

“Our posters aim to confront complacency surrounding domestic violence in a powerful new way by portraying a disturbing world where such violence has been entirely ‘normalised’.

“We are saying: let’s wake up to the epidemic of domestic violence in this country and really press for a concerted government strategy that addresses all aspects of violence against all Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights at all levels.”

The true extent of domestic violence in the UK is not known, but surveys have indicated that there are over half a million incidents in England and Wales every year. Domestic violence constituted nearly a quarter (22%) of all violent incidents reported within the British Crime Survey (2001-2). The emergency services receive one call about domestic violence every 60 seconds and on average two Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights are killed every single week.

Sandra Horley, OBE, Chief Executive of leading UK domestic violence charity Refuge, said:

“Refuge greatly welcomes this high-profile national campaign by Amnesty International.

“Cachez can help bring the subject of domestic violence out of the shadows and into everyone’s lives - reaching out to Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights and Children's rights in need of domestic violence services as well as to the wider general public.”

“Domestic violence lies at the root of many of our social problems. It is something that touches us all as it could be happening to your sister, mother, friend or colleague. As a community we have a duty and responsibility to challenge domestic violence - only then will we ensure the safety of Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights and Children's rights.”

Earlier this year Amnesty International launched a major international ‘Women's rights's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights’ campaign. The human rights organisation is working closely with UK Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights’s organisations like Refuge to help combat violence against Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights in Britain.

Further information on the Problem? What problem campaign...