Campaign on violence against women finalist in international award

The Australian Government’s violence against women social marketing campaign, The Line, is a finalist in an international award for innovation, the Minister for the Status of the Women, Julie Collins MP, has announced today.

The highly successful The Line campaign is a nominee for the AvonCommunications Awards: Speaking Out About Violence Against Women, in recognition of its innovative and unique approaches to communicating about violence against women.

“Promoting respectful relationships is part of the Australian Government’s commitment to reducing violence against women,” Ms Collins said.

“The Line connects with young people through the communications channels they use, such as Facebook, other social media and events and music.

“The website speaks to its audience in their language – giving young people the opportunity to talk on their terms about what is ‘crossing the line’.”

“The Line’s Facebook page now has almost 67,000 fans and 550,000 unique visitors to the website – proof this innovative campaign is starting to make a difference to the lives of young people.

“In a recent survey, 84 per cent of young people said they were starting to change the way they behave in their relationships and are increasing their awareness of what is ‘crossing the line’.

“The Australian Government has zero tolerance to this cowardly crime that regrettably happens all too often to women across the country and around the world.

“We are leading the way in trying to prevent and to reduce violence against women with Australia’s first ever national action plan,” Ms Collins said.

“The National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and Their Children 2010-2022 has been developed in partnerships with the States and Territories.

“It is a single, unified strategy bringing together government efforts to reduce violence against women and is the first of its kind to focus so strongly on prevention.

“Stopping the violence before it happens and changing attitudes and behavior across our community are vital to making this happen.

“We are working to help our young people have relationships that are safe and respectful.

“The award nomination shows our efforts to connect and engage with young people on respectful relationships are having a positive impact,” Ms Collins said.

The award winners will be announced at the 2nd World Conference of Women’s Shelters Tuesday, 28 February 2012, in Washington DC.

The Avon Foundation for Women recognises organisations from around the world which have produced exemplary communications campaigns and materials about ending violence against women.