Metropolitan Police launches new domestic violence advertising campaign

"Relax, go ahead and read.  No one can tell you’re a wife beater"

This hard-hitting message forms part of the new MPS domestic violence advertising campaign launched today at New Scotland Yard.

The London-wide campaign is unique because it talks directly to the male abusers and stresses, "If you’re abusing your partner, the police no longer need her statement to make an arrest."

The campaign intentionally focuses on men who abuse women as they account for 85% of all reported incidents and the majority of violent assaults.

Domestic violence is a crime committed by men from all walks of life and ranges from emotional abuse, controlling your partner’s finances and social life to physical assault and rape.

Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said:

"We understand how distressing it is if the person you love subjects you to physical and psychological abuse, and how hard it is to report them to the police. 

"Since the new Service Level Agreement was signed with the Crown Prosecution Service, we are now taking action against offenders without the support of the victim and have seen a number of successful prosecutions of this kind.

"Abusers need to realise that there are no longer any safe houses for men who commit domestic violence and that they can no longer hide behind their partner’s fear."

The print and poster advertising uses a text-only approach to engage the abuser and deliver the stern warning that the Met will independently pursue you if you’re abusing your partner.

Advertising locations have been carefully considered to distract men in male environments where they least expect to be confronted with the issue.  For example when they are out with friends in a pub or at a football match.  Posters will also be placed in cinemas and leisure centres, and advertising will appear in football programmes, on the Underground and in sports sections of Metro and Evening Standard.

Real 999 calls from domestic violence victims have been re-enacted as part of the radio advertising to shock listeners into the reality of domestic violence, bringing into the open a crime that mostly takes place behind closed doors.  They can be heard over the next three weeks on Virgin, Talk Sport, XFM, Capital, Capital Gold, Kiss and LBC.

Domestic violence continues to be a high volume and serious crime affecting Londoners.  In 2003/2004 there were over 106,000 incidents reported to us, with domestic violence accounting for 24% of all reported violent incidents and one in four murders in the capital.

Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone said:

"I strongly support the Metropolitan Police Service’s new campaign to raise awareness of the criminal nature of domestic violence and to bring to account perpetrators of domestic violence.  Holding offenders accountable is one of the key aims of the London Domestic Violence Strategy.  Abusers must understand that such behaviour will not be tolerated.  Domestic violence makes up 25% of violent crime in the capital and is linked to one in four murders.  It accounts for almost one in five homeless families and costs Londoners in excess of £3.5billion per annum. The new campaign sends out a strong message to perpetrators that the police no longer need a victim’s statement to make an arrest and that they can be prosecuted without the victim’s testimony."

Sandra Horley, OBE, Chief Executive of national domestic violence charity Refuge said:

"Refuge applauds the Met’s campaign to challenge men who are violent towards their partners.  For too long society has turned a blind eye.  Domestic violence affects us all – perpetrators need to know that they cannot get away with violent crime and women and children need to know that they will be protected.  The Met’s campaign sends out a strong public message that domestic violence is a crime which will no longer be ignored."

Jo Todd, Director of Respect, the UK Association for Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programmes and Associated Support Services said:

"We welcome the MPS DV campaign, which sends uncompromising messages to perpetrators that the police will arrest them with or without a statement from their partner.  Over the last few years the MPS have improved their response to domestic violence considerably.  While there is still much work to do, this campaign demonstrates the MPS’ increasing commitment to holding perpetrators to account for their criminal behaviour in order to increase the safety of those affected by domestic violence – usually women and children."

Copies of the advertising campaign are available on the Met website http://www.met.police.uk/dv/