A chilling new campaign by House 337 for Women’s Aid highlights that domestic abuse can become more frequent or severe during big football tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup.
The tournament takes place in winter for the first time this year, when the cold and dark will mean that more fans than usual will choose to stay at home to watch the games. For many women, it is a time of fear, where existing domestic violence can increase, with incidents going up by as much as 38% (University of Lancaster). While football does not cause domestic abuse, existing abuse can intensify around key tournaments, meaning that increased awareness can help the charity to save lives.
House 337’s campaign reassures these women that they are not alone and reminds us that, if we can all come together as a nation to support a football team, we can also come together to tackle domestic abuse.
The unsettling film takes the form of a single tracking shot through a cul-de-sac, showing the flags hanging up outside in support of the national team, while inside people are enjoying the game.
But as we round on the final house, the mood changes. The cheers stop and we see a huge flag that reads, “He’s coming home,” highlighting the fear and isolation that many women will experience throughout the tournament.
Directed by Sara Dunlop of The Corner Shop, this film is part of Women’s Aid’s two-year “Come Together To End Domestic Abuse” campaign, which runs until 2024 and encourages the public to act together wherever they are and use actions big and small to end domestic abuse. Backed by Women’s Aid Patrons including Spice Girls star Melanie Brown and actor Dame Julie Walters, the campaign promotes five actions that everyone can take to stop domestic abuse, from adding their voice to campaigns to learning what to say to someone experiencing abuse.
Christoper Ringsell, creative director from House 337, said, “During this time as the nation comes together we want to subvert the usual football tropes and shine a light on the chilling fact that for many women it’s a time of fear, not celebration. They need your support too. The visual spectacle of the flag retains its power, but with a new, chilling twist. We want to encourage people to be aware of friends and neighbors in their community and come together to try and end domestic abuse.”
OOH sites across England will display the “He’s coming home” flag, which was designed by Corbin Shaw, a young artist whose work features hard-hitting words over the St George’s flag to challenge stereotypes of masculinity, class and LBGTQ+ issues. The flags will be auctioned at the end of the campaign to raise further funds.
The campaign launched on November 25, which marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, just after England’s second group game in the World Cup against the USA. Women’s Aid is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. It is a federation of over 170 organizations which provide just under 300 local lifesaving services to women and children across England. For almost 50 years, Women’s Aid has campaigned on behalf of its members and survivors to shape policy and practice, and to raise awareness of domestic abuse. Its support services, which include Live Chat, the Survivors’ Forum, the No Woman Turned Away Project, the Survivor’s Handbook, Love Respect (a dedicated website for young people in their first relationships), the national Domestic Abuse Directory and our advocacy projects, help thousands of women and children every year.
