A campaign which urges people to take action if they suspect a friend or family members is being subjected to domestic abuse will be shown on television from today.
The campaign, which will also run on social media, uses the strapline “Don’t just wish for it to get better,” and highlights how Christmas can often be a catalyst for domestic abuse to escalate in families where there is already a cycle of abuse.
It sends the message that friends and family who see the signs of domestic abuse, should not just to hope for the abuse to go away, but should heed the warning signs, take action and seek help or the consequences could be life changing.
Communities Secretary Carl Sargeant said:
“Domestic abuse is not always easy to spot and signs can go unnoticed for months, even years. However, sometimes colleagues, friends, neighbours and even family members may notice the signs but don’t act on their suspicions for fear they are mistaken, interfering or even making the victim’s situation worse.
“With this campaign, we aim to encourage those who suspect abuse of a friend or family member to take action and to make sure they have the information they need to find help.”
The TV advert will be shown on ITV Wales and S4C from Friday December 16th until Saturday December 31st. Some of the adverts will be played during prime time shows such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Pobl y Cwm, ITV News programmes and S4C’s coverage of Welsh rugby derby matches.