World Vision Australia highlights global sexual violence against women in new campaign

According to the United Nations, 1 in every 3 women is subjected to physical or sexual violence at least once in their lives. The number adds up to 736 million globally, a number that has remained largely unchanged over the last few decades and constantly rising. To bring this to our attention and to make the world notice, World Vision’s ‘1,000 Voices for 1,000 Girls’ campaign is back, enlisting an inspiring group of Australian women to ignite it ahead of International Day of the Girl (October 11).

The programme aims to raise the voices and share the stories of vulnerable young girls, to bring attention and change to their lives, and to many others who may face the same realities. Aiming to support 1000 of the most vulnerable girls in the world

The campaign is the work of World Vision’s in-house creative and communications teams, brought to life by production and PR partner TBWAEleven and an all-female crew.

The campaign tells us the stories of women all around the world, who have been sexually harassed, by strangers, friends and family members. The victims include all age groups, solidifying the fact that even children are not safe from these perpetrators who often permanently traumatise the very soul of that person.

The campaign is led by six-time Paralympic gold medallist Ellie Cole; gender equality activist and former Miss Universe Australia Maria Thattil; Gamillaroi and Torres Strait Islander woman and award-winning writer, director and actor Nakkiah Lui; leading entrepreneur Naomi Simson; television personality and mother Tayla Broad; and the first African- born AFLW player, Akec Makur Chuot.

Each of these powerful personalities narrates the heartbreaking yet courageous stories of women and children who stood tall did not bow down and found the courage to share their stories with the whole world. 

One such story includes Heda, who was sexually assaulted 5 times by strangers before she reported it to her mother. People might think why didn’t she report it earlier, but  Heda can not speak and she is physically disabled, in the face of such a tragedy, today she is protecting her child so she does not have to meet the same fate while fighting for the safety of other women. Heda’s story was narrated to us by Elie Cole, a 6-time paralympic gold medalist from Australia.

The campaign also highlights the stories of women who are from the poorest countries in the world where safety for women is almost non-existent there. According to the UN Violence disproportionately affects women living in low- and lower-middle-income countries.  An estimated 37% of women living in the poorest countries have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence in their life.

One such story is Farah’s, who dreamt of becoming a nurse one day but was forcibly married off during the Covid-19 pandemic by her family in Bangladesh, She was only 14. 

The wedding was barely finished when her husband and in-laws started torturing and humiliating her because her family could not pay the dowry for her. She says, “I was tortured mentally. [I wanted] to go back to my parent's house. I felt like starting my schooling again.” After one month of torture, she was finally brought back home and even then society made a mockery of her misery but she did not give up. She is working hard to finish her school and become financially independent while simultaneously raising her voice for the safety of women.

The women who are narrating these stories have had to face the same unfortunate conditions, Like Akec Makur Chuot who as a former refugee had to see her sister become a child bride and the reason why she is such a fierce advocate for women’s safety. She narrates the story of Neha who was also a victim of child marriage in Nepal. She was saved from an abusive old man who was already married once before, now 18 and a fierce advocate for women's safety she has also stopped three child marriages. A role model for all the other girls in her community.

To say that the campaign is brilliant will not do justice to it, but the way it has captured and narrated heart-wrenching stories from all over the world shows us exactly how powerful advertising can be.

The following are the videos which cover the rest of the stories from this campaign. Hopefully, this campaign will strike a chord in the hearts of the boys who are growing up to be men. To shed the violent patriarchal mould some of them have been shaped into, to become better human beings and to make this world a better place. A safer place.

Media agency: Essence MediaCom Global