Male celebs get behind campaign to combat domestic violence

Celebrities and sportsmen including Duncan Bannatyne, Ugo Monye, Tom Aikens and Will Young are to front a new national campaign to reduce domestic violence.

Women's Aid Real Man, Ugo Moyne
Women’s Aid Real Man, Ugo Moyne

Women’s Aid and Grey London are launching the campaign to encourage men to become part of the solution to ending violence against women and children.

Titled ‘Real Man’, the aim is to highlight the active role that men have in helping to stop domestic abuse and asks all ‘real men’ to support Women’s Aid in doing so.

The campaign uses images of well-known men from the world of sports, entertainment and business wearing ‘Real Man’ t-shirts designed by Henry Holland and posing with props to challenge the stereotype of what a ‘Real Man’ is – with the message that Real Men aren’t violent or abusive towards women.

The national campaign will launch on 10 June through print, digital, PR and in-store channels to coincide with the start of the World Cup. Government research has shown that big sporting events such as the World Cup can result in increased rates of domestic violence. During the 2006 World Cup, reports of domestic abuse increase by nearly a third (30%) on England match days.

The campaign will run for the rest of the year. Women’s Aid chief executive Nicola Harwin says the campaign will help Women’s Aid engage with men, the majority of whom are not perpetrators of violence against women, to support its work to end violence against women and children.

The ‘Real Man’ campaign T-shirts will be exclusively available from Debenhams, throughout June for £10.

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