The Body Shop begins home violence awareness campaign
By Adnews Staff
Retailer The Body Shop is conducting a public awareness and fundraising campaign called "Stop Violence in the Home" during the month of August. During this initiative, the company is asking customers to donate old or unused cellular telephones at one of its 112 Canadian stores. The phones will be converted to money by ReCellular and the funds given to the Canadian Women's Foundation to support its violence prevention and recovery programs. As part of the campaign, The Body Shop commissioned a survey from Decima Research on Canadian women's attitudes toward domestic violence. Sixty-four percent of women surveyed said they would leave immediately the first time they experienced violence from a current or future partners. Nineteen percent of respondents said they would leave after a second experience. According to the company, it is more common for a woman to experience 10 or more violent episodes before leaving an abusive partner. Roughly one in four respondents said they would be too embarrassed to tell friends or family members about a violent partner, but only 16 percent said they would be too embarrassed to tell a support worker or help line. The Canadian campaign is part of a global program The Body Shop is conducting in 17 countries. It is being promoted on the company's website and with public relations from Strategic Objectives.