Renowned actor Billie Piper has partnered with Refuge for ‘Make the world a Refuge’, a campaign that explores many different forms that domestic abuse can take and the impact on … read moresurvivors. Having starred in a host of films and TV shows, Refuge ambassador Billie will now feature in a new campaign developed by AMV BBDO to highlight the many subtle and insidious ways that abuse can manifest in relationships. These are stories that can’t be told and often aren’t told — and that Billie Piper lends her voice to, giving them a platform whilst protecting their anonymity. Central to the campaign is a two-minute film directed by BAFTA winning 'I Hate Suzie' director Georgi Banks-Davies, which depicts Billie Piper performing real-life testimonies from survivors of domestic abuse. These are the stories that so often cannot be told––it is too difficult or too dangerous. So they go unheard. But through Piper’s performance, these women’s words and stories can be shared, and given a real platform, breaking the silence, whilst protecting their anonymity. The film demonstrates how abuse can present itself in a multitude of ways, beyond physical abuse, such as tracking a survivor’s phone or isolating them from their family and friends. Abuse has evolved, becoming more insidious, harder to name––from coercive control to financial abuse, to tech abuse. But also, in other ways louder: from headlines calling femicide a “crime of passion”, to memes about Amber Heard’s testimonial, to AI generated images as tools for abuse. Violence and abuse against women show up in so many ways. But so does Refuge. As abuse evolves, so does Refuge––this film brings to light the forms of abuse that we should all know about but often don’t, but also shows the widening scope of Refuge’s work to support survivors. One in four women in England and Wales will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. While all forms of abuse can have a devastating impact on the wellbeing of survivors, Refuge will continue to support as many women as possible in helping them to rebuild their lives.
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