Zara McDermott joins Refuge as ambassador to campaign against domestic abuse
TV broadcaster and content creator Zara McDermott has been announced as the newest ambassador for Refuge, the largest specialist domestic abuse service provider in England.
Beginning her career as a government policy advisor before appearing on reality TV show Love Island in 2018, Zara has since produced a number of major BBC documentaries covering violence and women against girls (VAWG), including Revenge Porn and Uncovering Rape Culture.
Having shared her own experiences in her documentary on intimate image abuse, Zara is an advocate for survivors and previously collaborated with Refuge on its Naked Threat campaign. This led to a change in law, making it a criminal offence for perpetrators to threaten sharing intimate images. Now, Zara will be working more closely with Refuge to raise awareness and change attitudes around domestic abuse.
Around 1 in 4 women in England and Wales experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, and every 5 days, 1 woman is killed by a partner or ex-partner. However, these figures are likely to represent only the tip of the iceberg as domestic abuse remains severely under-reported.
Refuge is the country’s largest single provider of specialist support services for women and children who have experienced domestic abuse. It supports tens of thousands of survivors every year through its emergency accommodation, community services, and National Domestic Abuse Helpline.
Zara McDermott said:
“Using my platform to advocate against abuse has been incredibly important to me throughout my career, so I am thrilled to be joining Refuge as an ambassador. Despite the efforts of organisations such as Refuge, domestic abuse affects thousands of women every day. No one can afford to turn a blind eye to this devastating societal issue.
“Since sharing my experiences of intimate image abuse, I have been taken aback by the sheer scale of this horrific form of abuse, with many survivors sharing their own stories with me. Alongside Refuge, I will continue striving to shed light on the realities of domestic abuse and show survivors that they are not alone.”
Refuge’s Chair of Trustees, Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, said:
“Refuge is delighted that Zara will be joining our team of wonderful celebrity ambassadors, all of whom play a vital role in supporting our work. Zara’s campaigning work has undoubtedly helped many survivors feel seen, and we are looking forward to our new partnership with her, where, together, we will continue our mission to put an end to domestic abuse.”
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