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THE WEBSITE FOR the What Would You Do? campaign, which focuses on the role of bystanders in preventing domestic violence, had 88,000 visits by mid December.
The Tánaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said since the campaign began on 16 November, it is interesting to note that the majority of the visitors to the website have been from the 25 to 34 and 35 to 44 age groups, which account for 50% of visitors to the website.
A further 15% of visitors to the website are in the younger age bracket of 18 to 24.
The advert on YouTube has seen 85,000 views since 5 December, said Fitzgerald. (Updated figures show it now stands at 167,767 for the advert below).
I believe this campaign has led to far more discussion of the issue of domestic violence in our national and local media.
The awareness campaign includes advertising across all media platforms including television adverts.
Creative agency is Cawley Nea\TBWA worked with Cosc – the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence – to develop and implement the campaign.
Campaign worth over €1 million
In total, the Tánaiste secured funding of €950,000 for 2016 for the new national
awareness campaign.
In addition, funding of €200,000 was awarded under the Dormant Accounts Fund to localise the campaign in 2016 and 2017.
The campaign launched in the last quarter of this year and it is intended that it will run for a period of six years up to 2021.
However, the ad campaign has today been criticised by the National Women’s Council of Ireland as being unsupported by evidence.
Criticism
The director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland Orla O’Connor told The Irish Times newspaper today that there isn’t clear evidence to focus the campaign on the bystander.
O’Connor told Irish Times journalist Conor Gallagher that there is no evidence in terms of the impact the campaign might have, who the bystanders are likely to be, or what they would need to say in order to reduce domestic violence.
However, Fitzgerald said she has been engaged in a “great deal of consultation with the non-governmental organisations that are working in this area” in relation to the campaign over the past two years.
Campaign based on research, says minister
“We have looked at the international research in this regard. All evaluations of similar anti-domestic violence campaigns around the world have found that experience of domestic violence has declined and awareness of how common it is has increased.
“There has also been an increase in people’s willingness to discuss the matter and to report domestic violence incidents to police. Obviously, we do not want people who witness domestic violence to put themselves at risk in any way,” said the minister.
Fitzgerald also claims that the campaign is research-based.
All of the organisations working in domestic violence have made themselves available to go out and give the proper information about what people should do. Obviously, they have been part and parcel of this campaign as it has proceeded. The campaign is based on research. It is just one part of the answer. It is important that this approach is being taken in Ireland.
The overall aims of the “What Would You Do?” campaign are to increase awareness of domestic and sexual violence, to bring about a change in long-established societal attitudes and behaviours and to activate bystanders with the aim of decreasing and preventing this violence.
I believe these goals are achievable.
Findings of the Cosc survey of Attitudes to Domestic Abuse in Ireland in 2008 show that over 70% of people consider domestic abuse to be a common problem in Ireland.
Over 44% of people know somebody who personally has been a victim of domestic abuse.
The survey also found that 94% of people would help a friend, 65% would help a stranger and 38% would help a neighbour being subjected to domestic abuse.
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I drive a taxi and for many reasons I don’t belive it’s a job for a woman. I would hate to see my wife or daughter drive a taxi. And before I’m bashed I am not sexest
You clearly are a sexist if you believe women are too weak to drive a taxi. You didn’t say they were weak but that is clearly what you are inferring
Implying, damn it.
No Philip I’m not ! But keep trying
Ah I see your Twitter has been suspended Philip Hogan bit of a troll are you hiding behind false names !
Just curious, what exactly are you saying?
OK Mr Weddingcar, why shouldn’t women drive taxis?
Because of the Philip Hogans off this world !!
That doesn’t even make sense. You don’t think your wife and daughter are capable of driving a taxi. Is it any wonder that feminism is so aggressive when your misogyny is so engrained
Are you busy tonight, weddingcar?
I dunno. All the other car jackings had male taxi drivers. Is the experience less terrifying as a man? I wouldn’t say so.
I wouldn’t think it would be either. If they take the car and let you go unharmed it’s the only good thing to come out of a car jacking.
Why I wouldn’t like my wife etc driving is because you are dealing with people at their worst late at night drunk or worse on drugs. It’s hard enough without having guys trying it on or been intimidating which would and does happen with female drivers.
Day time work wouldn’t be to bad but nights would be a disaster waiting to happen.
what do you mean it’s not a job for a woman? you didn’t really say why :L
So what you ate saying is that you would rather see women treated like glass, always kept away from danger. Give them a bit more credit. They might surprise you
James and Philip grow up !
but…i was asking a legit question. im not trying to be mean or cheeky
He is concentrating on his new big job in Europe from now on…
I’ve never seen one female taxi driver working at night. It’s common sense really.
Daniel there is many
Would you suggest that women don’t work as police or in A&E then? They’d be facing the exact same people. What I’d suggest is taxis that have a partition between the driver at the front and the passenger at the back. You’d have to have fairly thick skin to be a taxi driver, so why shouldn’t a woman be a taxi driver if they’re as thick skinned as the male taxi drivers?
Guys stop trying to prove Wexford limo a sexiest . what he is saying is very true. After a wild night out, most of the time Drank man make trouble at the street…you wont see many woman making trouble at night while they are drank. an drank man has a common issue to harass women. so in a Saturday night, when lots of drank wild mans are in the street, who will not bother about law and order or maybe not in a state of thinking clearly would probably find a woman taxi driver more easy rather than a Man driver. Its just a fact.
@Danny. Your a&e remark just makes no sense. In relation to female gardai, at night time gardai have to work in pairs. The also carry pepper spray, something which taxi drivers are not allowed have.
If working at night was the same as day they wouldn’t have the pairing system.
That young pup deserves the mother and father of a bating when caught..
Wow must admire her bravery for refusing to hand over the keys. May not always have worked out so well. But she definitely showed that chap there’s no messing with her.
I admire her bravery but it was a silly thing to do
This type of crime is going on a weekly basis in dublin. Noting new here
Women taxmen are not that uncommon now.
Women taximen are not that uncommon now.
Bit of an echo here ;)
Here.
Women taxi men maybe even women taxi drivers
Why make a point of the taxi driver’s gender? Is it relevant?
Yes
How?
Fair play for standing her ground. Little cowardly asswipe.
Wow a female taxi driver. It is so amazing that it must be put in the headline
When i saw the title. I new it was up north
Brendan ere you implying that such acts don’t happen south of the border???
Shouldn’t have made any difference if the driver was a man or woman it shouldn’t be happening , why can’t a judge make a statement and send the next attacker down for at least 5 years and this might stop it ?
but unfortunately it is always the case. weaker taxi driver are the easy target.
have your say