More than one in four women in England and Wales experiences domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime, and on average every five days a woman is killed by a current or former partner. 

It is a devastating statistic, yet one we have collectively become numb to. When so much of domestic abuse is wordless how do you bring that shocking statistic to life in a way that spurs viewers into taking action?

It is a brief taken on with courage and generosity by actress and Refuge ambassador, Billie Piper in a new campaign entitled ‘Make the World a Refuge’, created in partnership with AMV BBDO. 

The campaign, directed by BAFTA winning 'I Hate Suzie' director Georgi Banks-Davies, brings to life the many different forms that domestic abuse can take and the impact on survivors.

Highlighting the many subtle and insidious ways that abuse can manifest in relationships, the powerful film gives voice to the experiences of domestic abuse that are so often left unsaid. The stories that are so often left untold, because it is too difficult or too dangerous to speak the truth.

In the two-minute film, Piper performs real-life testimonies from survivors of domestic abuse. The film demonstrates how abuse can present itself in a multitude of ways, beyond physical abuse, such as tracking a survivor’s phone or isolating them from their family and friends.

Billie Piper, Actress and Refuge Ambassador, explained: “Domestic abuse can happen to anybody. It does not discriminate, and it can leave survivors questioning themselves and their reality. Reading the words of survivors who have experienced such sinister forms of abuse was truly harrowing, but it is vital that more people are made aware of the many signs of abuse so that abusers can be held responsible. While it is horrific to know just how common domestic abuse is, speaking up is crucial in helping survivors realise that it is never their fault, and that Refuge is here to offer support.”

The film underlines the way in which abuse has evolved, becoming more insidious, harder to name––from coercive control to financial abuse, to tech abuse. Powerfully shining a light on the forms of abuse that we should all know about but often don’t, the campaign also shows the widening scope of Refuge’s work to support survivors.

Abigail Ampofo, Interim CEO of Refuge, said: “Coercive control is a highly prevalent form of domestic abuse, but is often not talked about, meaning that perpetrators are not held accountable while survivors are unable to access the support that they deserve. This type of abuse is insidious, and a perpetrator’s actions may appear subtle at first, which means some of the warning signs can be hard to spot. It is a pattern of behaviours that escalates over time, and the impact on survivors should not be underestimated. Billie’s invaluable work with Refuge will help us to show survivors of coercive control that they are not alone, and we hope it will allow more women to be able to spot the signs. For all the ways in which coercive control can show up, Refuge will show up for survivors.”

Lauren Peters and Augustine Cerf, the creative team at AMV BBDO behind the work, added: “Domestic abuse doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s not ‘just’ physical, or merely a private issue. It happens in the wider context of a misogynistic society. And as our society has evolved, so has abuse: becoming more insidious, creeping into every aspect of our lives, into our phones, our culture, our bank accounts, our streets as well as our homes. Refuge has evolved with it: showing up wherever abuse does. So, our ambition for this campaign, working alongside Refuge, survivors, Billie Piper and Georgi Banks-Davies, was to show the hideously vast spectrum of abuse and the many ways Refuge help.”

They continued: “We wanted to tell the kind of abuse stories that don’t usually get told. Including the abuse that can often feel too small, on its own, to report to the police. Often, when we spoke to survivors, we heard them say heartbreaking things like “it’s not physical, but…” But it’s abuse. And abuse in all of its forms endangers the lives of women all over this country. It deserves to be told, and to be understood. Through Billie, and the emotional, truthful force of her performance, we could protect the anonymity of the survivors, whilst giving a voice to their stories.”

The campaign follows AMV BBDO’s impactful 2020 collaboration with Refuge, The Naked Threat. A campaign which urged the UK government to make threatening to share explicit images of others an illegal offence—a form of abuse often used to control and manipulate women. As a result, the government introduced legislation making such threats a crime.

To support the short film, versions of 60, 30, 15 and 6 seconds will run in social media and cinemas across the UK for the next four weeks.

Director Georgi Banks-Davies added: "Our challenge was to make a film that broadened the public’s perception of abuse. A common myth is that it’s only domestic abuse if it involves physical or sexual violence. In fact, many women experience domestic abuse without ever being physically harmed. It was super important for me to show the audience the diverse ways in which abuse can take shape, and that they are not alone in those experiences. Alongside this, we also wanted to showcase that no matter the form of abuse, Refuge is there for you, can support you and has experts in place that understand exactly what you are going through.”

No one should ever have to experience Domestic Abuse. Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0808 2000 247. Or visit www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk to fill in a web form and request a safe time to be contacted or to access live chat (live chat available 10am-10pm, Monday to Friday). For support with tech-facilitated abuse visit refugetechsafety.org.