NEW YORK -- One in three women around the world is a victim of violence at some point in her life, demonstrating how violence against women and girls is not just pernicious, it is all too pervasive. It also can be prevented. That is why this February, Lifetime Television once again will confront this problem with its Emmy Award-winning campaign, "Our Lifetime Commitment: Stop Violence Against Women." The campaign brings together key non-profit organizations, bipartisan political leaders, Hollywood stars and music legends and corporations, in a massive, bilingual, national advocacy initiative to unite women and men in efforts to stop the violence against women and girls, once and for all.
"Our Lifetime Commitment: Stop Violence Against Women" will include extensive on-air programming, online content and outreach around the country to raise awareness of various forms of violence, such as domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, and to offer important information and resources on how women and men can help make a difference in their own lives, families and communities. Airing throughout the campaign will be powerful public service announcements, as well as "tags" at the end of all anti-violence programming, providing vitally important hotline numbers and websites to remind survivors of violence and their loved ones that they are not alone and, most importantly, that help is available. This initiative is informed by the leading anti-violence organizations, with whom Lifetime is partnering.
In March, the campaign once again will go to the nation's capital for the third annual "Stop Violence Week in Washington," where Lifetime, its advocacy partners, celebrity activists, women and families directly affected by violence will come together with political leaders for special events from Congress to the White House. The network also will renew its ongoing effort to champion critical, bipartisan legislation, such as the Debbie Smith Act, to put more rapists behind bars, continuing to add to thousands of petition signatures already collected on lifetimetv.com and delivering them to Congress to urge speedy passage.
"Lifetime's longstanding commitment to ending intimate partner violence and their invaluable partnership with the National Domestic Violence Hotline has led thousands of women to seek help to end the abuse in their lives by calling 800-799-SAFE," said Sheryl Cates, executive director of the National Domestic Violence Hotline. "Lifetime is a model media and advocacy partner in this effort, utilizing its immense ability to reach and inform women and men across the nation to save lives, heighten public awareness on the tragedy of domestic violence and connect survivors of domestic violence to resources for help."
For the first time, Lifetime's Stop Violence Against Women campaign materials will be customized in Spanish, significantly broadening the reach of the campaign's life-saving information and support.
"Lifetime Television is doing a wonderful and important job of spearheading this powerful partnership between the corporate and non-profit world to end violence against women," said Adelita Medina, executive director of the National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence. "Through this initiative, men and women across the country can find out what they can do to stop the violence."
"Our Lifetime Commitment: Stop Violence Against Women" utilizes the full breadth of Lifetime's growing media platform, including Lifetime Television, Lifetime Online and Lifetime magazine. Among the campaign's key elements are:
Programming
-- Premiere of documentary "Until the Violence Stops," profiling the
V-Day grassroots movement to end violence against women and girls,
featuring Eve Ensler, Salma Hayek, LisaGay Hamilton, Jane Fonda, Glenn
Close and Rosie Perez, among others. The program will be screened at
the Sundance Film Festival in January. Airs commercial-free,
February 17, 10pm (ET/PT).
-- Compelling special episode of the network's critically acclaimed
series "The Division," dealing with child molestation. Airs March 14,
9pm (ET/PT).
-- Candid "Intimate Portrait" profile of musician and domestic violence
survivor Missy Elliot.
-- PSAs at the end of all dedicated anti-violence programming directing
viewers to life-saving resources from organizations such as the
National Domestic Violence Hotline (800-799-SAFE) and National Sexual
Assault Hotline, operated by RAINN (800-656-HOPE). The PSAs will be
streamed at Lifetimetv.com.
Community Outreach
In communities across the nation, Lifetime and its affiliates will:
-- Distribute 1 million brochures offering the top 10 tips on how
women and men can help erase the violence, including a keepsake card
to sign and pledge commitment to join the anti-violence movement;
-- Distribute "Action Kits" to federal, state and local governmental
leaders and advocacy organizations to support community events to help
stop the violence around the country;
-- Support V-Day's College Campaign with special materials to enable
college students to hold special screenings of the V-Day documentary
and organize related activities on campuses;
-- Strengthen anti-stalking laws and efforts. In January, "National
Stalking Awareness Month," Lifetime and the National Center for
Victims of Crime will reach out to 500 law enforcement agencies with a
training tape to educate law enforcement on stalking and domestic
violence. The tape also will be streamed at lifetimetv.com;
-- Continue to partner with companies to salute women and men working
together to stop violence against women on their supersigns in Times
Square; and
-- Host a traveling, national exhibit featuring the voices of advocates
and policy makers on the front lines working to stop violence against
women.
Online Resources
Lifetimetv.com will offer:
-- Extensive resources, advice from experts and links to Lifetime's
campaign partners where women can go for more information and support;
-- An "action center" where women and men can get involved and take
action to support efforts to stop violence against women in their own
communities. This includes an opportunity to sign up and receive a
"Champions For Change" newsletter and take part in petitions to
support critical bipartisan legislation; and
-- A progress report of 100 DNA rape kits being analyzed by ChoicePoint,
a data and technology company with DNA analysis capabilities who, as a
public service, is analyzing these kits to help identify rapists.
To learn more about Lifetime's key nonprofit partners, visit their Web sites:
American Bar Association (www.abanet.org)
Break the Cycle (www.breakthecycle.org)
Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (www.caepv.org)
Equality Now (www.equalitynow.org)
Family Violence Prevention Fund (www.endabuse.org)
Help USA (www.help.org)
International Justice Mission (www.ijm.org)
MVP Strategies (www.jacksonkatz.com/mvp)
Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence (New York City)
Men Can Stop Rape (www.mencanstoprape.org)
Mending the Sacred Hoop (www.msh-ta.org)
Mentors in Violence Prevention (www.sportinsociety.org/mvp)
Michael Bolton Charities (www.michaelboltoncharities.com)
The National Center for Victims of Crime (www.ncvc.org)
National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence
(www.dvalianza.org)
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (www.ncadv.org)
National Domestic Violence Hotline (www.ndvh.org)
National Network to End Domestic Violence (www.nnedv.org)
National Sexual Violence Resource Center (www.nsvrc.org)
NOW (www.now.org)
NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund (www.nowldef.org)
Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (www.pcar.org)
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) (www.rainn.org)
Safe Horizon (www.safehorizon.org)
Sports Leadership Institute (www.adelphi.edu/communityservices/sli)
StopFamilyViolence.org (www.stopfamilyviolence.org)
V-Day (www.vday.org)
Vital Voices (www.vitalvoices.org)
WomensLaw.org (www.WomensLaw.org)
Source: Lifetime Television
