With social distancing aggravating the domestic violence phenomenon, the ANAIS Association launches the #IsolateViolence campaign, signed by Cheil | Centrade

Cristina Blanaru Creativity

Social distancing prevents the spread of the COVID-19 virus, but it favors, at the same time, the perpetuation of an equally treacherous virus in Romanians’ homes – domestic violence, a phenomenon that grows exponentially with each new quarantine week, as victims are being forced to stay in their homes with their aggressors.

According to Eurostat, over 55% of Romania’s population currently lives in overcrowded spaces, an aggravating factor for domestic violence. At the same time, almost one million Romanians will soon go into technical unemployment and, as economic difficulties will increase, the resulting difficulties and deficiencies will enhance tension at home, thus amplifying the abusive behavior.

The #IsolateViolence campaign launched by the ANAIS Association sounds the alarm and comes to the support of victims through the platform www.izoleazaviolenta.ro, which centralizes useful information and advice from specialized associates. Thus, victims and their relatives have access to information on intervention services, medical and social services, legal advice and practical advice that is extremely useful in the context of compulsory home isolation. The platform also includes messages of encouragement from women who have successfully escaped various scenarios of violence or toxic relationships.

Carmen Nemeș, president of ANAIS, points out: “These times are indeed extremely difficult for everyone, but the drama of the victims isolated for weeks and weeks in their homes with a violent partner is very serious. We want to inform the public about this situation and we ask authorities to intervene promptly whenever an act of domestic violence is reported at emergency number 112”.

“For the video component of the campaign we have used the main types of graphic animations illustrating the need for social distancing, which have lately circulated the news channels and the Internet, and we have reinterpreted them in a surprising way to present the dramatic spread of the domestic violence virus in this context,” explains Roxana Niță, Group Creative Director Cheil | Centrade.

“The visuals explore the subject of the virus under microscope imaging, in which spike-like proteins arranged in a crown-like shape on the surface of the cell incorporating RNA genetic material take the form of various dramatic scenes of domestic abuse,” Victor Trifan, art director on the project, says.

Mihai Gongu, Executive Creative Director Cheil | Centrade, adds: “This is the first campaign we have launched ever since we at Cheil | Centrade, our colleagues from the Chainsaw post-production studios, as well as our clients have switched to the working from home regime. But we managed to keep close to digital channels and to coordinate effectively, so that we have this campaign ready in a very short time, as required by the severity of the situation.”

Cheil | Centrade’s collaboration with the ANAIS Association started last year with the “Unquiet Voices” campaign, in which real women gave voice to illustrate moments of violence against women in silent films made more than a century ago, as restrictions to use these productions were lifted from January 1, 2019. The resulting film was shortlisted at the Cannes Film Festival, and the campaign won multiple awards at national and international advertising festivals, including a Gold trophy at the prestigious London International Awards.

The entire #IsolateViolence campaign was done through the pro bono efforts of the following team:

Cheil | Centrade

  • Executive Creative Director: Mihai Gongu
  • Group Creative Director: Roxana Niță
  • Art Director: Victor Trifan
  • Copywriteri: Robert Ghiță, Alexandru Iliescu
  • 3D Designer: Marijus Pudar
  • AV Director: Monica Garbur
  • Senior Account Manager: Ana Maria Rădulescu
  • Client Service Director: Carmen Miruță
  • Head of Development: Andrei Popescu
  • Digital Project Manager: Cosmin Slăbescu

Chainsaw Europe

  • VFX Editor: Dragoș Tănase
  • Sound Designer&Editor: Andrei Vasilache
  • Producer: Raluca Iuteș

Actors

Alex Tihuț, Dana Tapalagă, Radu Bânzaru, Mathea Ghinea

ANAIS Association

  • President: Carmen Nemeș
  • Executive Director: Mihaela Mangu
  • Psychotherapist: Adela Szenteș
  • Lawyer: Giulia Crișan