Personified House Objects Speak about Domestic Violence

Whether you like it or not, we have to tell you that women are not safe in this world. They feel insecure. And we’re going to tell you why: They don’t feel safe walking alone in the streets, many young females are forced to marry early, some of them face bias and prejudice within their own language, and lastly, they are struggling with unequal salaries. Worst of all, they don’t feel safe where you’d least expect it: at home. That’s right; That cozy place that offers comfort to many of us is the spot where at least 70% of Brazilian women feel threatened and suffer from some kind of violence.

Instead of being a place of peace, for some women, home becomes a violent battle arena where they are usually at the receiving end of the beating. It’s just him there. And her, all alone. Then there’s the house, with all its objects that can easily become dangerous weapons. Items that see, hear, live, and objects that can tell the truth… If they could. These objects often become the only eyewitnesses a female can get. But are they really able to tell exactly what happened?

Avon Institute Brazil wants to assure these women that they are not alone. Not after the company has engaged in the fight against domestic violence. So, by joining forces with J. Walter Thompson Brasil agency, the brand successfully gave a voice to various items from these households. Among the chosen objects are a broom, a teddy bear, and a pan amongst others. These are ordinary objects. Simple. They can be found in any house. Just like one can find domestic violence in any home.

According to a UN report, the most dangerous place for a woman is her very own place. Inspired by these findings, a group of agencies called HUB AVON—which is made up of J. Walter Thompson Brasil, Mutato, and I-Cherry—has meticulously worked on reminding women that “You Are Not Alone.” The campaign aims to speak about domestic violence by telling stories of distress from the point of view of the only eyewitnesses: objects inside the house. Seven different household items were selected to narrate as many stories.

The tales are divided into five types of domestic violence: physical, sexual, psychological, moral, and property—as classified by Brazil’s Maria da Penha Law. These represent “a comprehensive set of policies geared towards eradicating domestic violence against women in Brazil.”

“We identified the central reason behind why so few female victims of violence report this crime: the lack of eyewitnesses. There are still few female-led police stations, and women give up reporting cases of violence because they do not believe there is a real support to help them effectively. Through the “testimony” of the only witness (the objects involved), we are shedding a light on this problem and showing that there is a support network created by Avon to help in these cases,” said Danilo Janjacomo, Creative Director, HUB Avon, Brazil.

Julia Machado, Copywriter, HUB Avon, Brazil further describes the background of the campaign: “After a lot of research, we came to understand that domestic violence is a crime with no face. It can happen anywhere and to any women. And this is the reason why all the stories talk about ‘she’ and ‘he’. There is no name, no race, no age, and no social class. Exactly how domestic violence works. So the impact each story has will be different for each person – and will depend a lot on the background they have and the stories they’ve already heard. Unfortunately, most people know a domestic violence story.”

The campaign is supported by multiple long-form print executions for magazines such as Marie Claire, Claudia, and Piauí, radio commercials, film content, and outdoor adverts. To further complement the initiative, all the stories of these household objects are displayed at an art exhibition at Fale Sem Medo (Don’t Be Afraid to Speak Out), at the Ibirapuera Auditorium in São Paulo.