A new film from Refuge shows the threats women face at home
Directed by Bonnie MacRae, the film opens with ‘Kate’ introducing what looks to be a dream home. As she brings the viewer through the various rooms of the three-bedroom family property, the tone begins to shift, with numerous signs suggesting all is not quite what it seems.
The first suggestion of its darker message comes in its second line: “Isolated from friends and family, this home is full of character and charm.” In the “stylish kitchen”, Kate admires a series of tall cupboards. “These beautiful units are actually soft-close and lockable,” she reveals before stating “perfect storage space for your partner to confiscate things that matter to you, like your phone. Even your medication.”
By the end of the tour, which touches on coercive control, technology-facilitated abuse and physical violence, Kate’s manner has changed completely, as has the message – this dream home has become a nightmare. In the final scene, a steamed-up bathroom mirror reveals the phone number for the National Domestic Abuse Helpline which is operated by Refuge.
Launching ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, the film is part of the charity’s Home is Where the Hurt is campaign and aims to communicate the alarming fact that, for many women suffering abuse, their own home is the most dangerous place they can be.
This is not the first time that Refuge has used a spoof approach in its ads: In 2021, the charity marked its 50th anniversary with a film that resembled a highly polished smartphone ad, in order to highlight the dangers of technology and how it can enable abusers. In the film, a voiceover lists the phone’s various features before detailing how each one – maps for tracking, storage space for saving videos – can be misused.
revoltlondon.com
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