Brands engage in the fight against violence against women

Although social isolation is the best way to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus, for some women the measure is being terrifying because they pass the confinement with their aggressors. According to a survey by the Women's Service Center – Ligue 180 – during the period, there was a 9% increase in the number of visits in Brazil, since the number of complaints in this government channel only in April had a 40% increase compared to the same month of 2019, according to the Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights (MMDH). Keeping an eye on these numbers, several brands decided to do something to help these women. Magazine Luiza is one of them. Last Sunday, 31, the brand made a post on Instagram, in which its virtual influencer Lu reminded women about the button to report against domestic violence available within the app of the retailer, created on International Women's Day 2019 and that, since the beginning of the pandemic of Covid-19, had a 400% increase in the number of hits. The post went viral and had more than 750,000 shares. Many people approved of Magalu's initiative, but others said that the button, which directed the victim to a phone call to Ligue 180 was not as effective at this time of isolation due to the difficulty of making a call being in the same environment as the aggressor. With this week, the retailer released an update of this button, which in addition to access to Ligue 180, allows direct access, via chat, to the Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights, to make an online complaint. "When we launched the button last year, we weren't in this same context of pandemic, where the victim is with the aggressor at home, we had another scenario. On April 2, the Ministry of Human Rights launched digital whistleblowing channels. That's when we started studying these channels, understanding their functionality and effectiveness, already discussing a button update," says Pedro Alvim, Magalu's social media manager. Ana Luiza Herzog, the company's reputation and sustainability manager, reinforces that the reviews were good, because they endorsed what the company was already observing, through the help of experts from the cause. "We really monitor, we're aware of what people are talking about, because there might be something there that we don't understand. These community inputs are very valid," he adds. Among these experts cited by the manager is a board of trustees of women working in the case, formed by Silvia Chakian, prosecutor of the Public Prosecutor's Office of the State of São Paulo; Jacira Melo, from the Patrícia Galvão Institute; and Elizabete Leite Scheibmayr and Marisa Cesar, from the Women of Brazil group, also composed of Luiza Helena Trajano, president of magalu's board of directors. According to Ana, since its launch, the main function of the button was to generate knowledge about the 180 and teach what is the difference between 180 and 190 (the first is used for complaints and the second, police number, for emergencies, when the aggression is happening at that very moment). "We are not the solution to the problem of combating violence against women, what we try to do is bring knowledge, strengthen the channels that already exist and continue improving", concludes the manager. Other companies that are supporting the cause of combating violence against women are Natura and Avon. The former competitors and now part of the same Natura & Co group have joined the Avon Institute and The Body Shop in the global movement #IsoladasSimSozinhasNão to warn people about the importance of support networks in combating domestic violence during the period of social isolation. "The impacts of social isolation only amplified the problems that already existed, such as the lack of understanding about the types of violence that women suffer; distrust of women in care services; lack of preparation for a welcoming service for women and children; lack of work with men; and, the spread of ideas that make a lot of people blame the victim for the violence she suffered, perpetuates the idea that 'in a husband-and-wife fight, no one puts the spoon' or even understands that violence is a police problem," says Mafoane Odara, manager of the Avon Institute. Among the fruits of this movement, launched at the beginning of the quarantine, is the implementation of the "You Are Not Alone Program", a coordinated action plan led by the Avon Institute in partnership with more than 30 institutions of private initiative, civil society and the public sector "with the aim of mitigating the impacts of isolation on the lives of women and girls by providing essential services to women and girls in situations of violence," Mafoane explains. Another offshoot of the campaign was a chatbot, developed in partnership with Uber and Wieden+Kennedy, to help women understand whether they are experiencing violence. "In one month of service, we recorded more than 1,200 accesses, 1,100 women attended, and more than 30% of the cases were women who were 'high risk' of suffering serious violence and did not know it. Of the cases addressed, 750 were successfully completed and the victims were duly referred to one of the assistance provided in the program: psychological, material, legal or police", completes the manager. According to Mafoane, every strategy to face the problem of violence has to take into account that solutions need to include different areas, be coordinated with each other and have as a premise to reach the largest number of women. Moreover, for her to work collectively is very important for this reality to change. "It is the role of all of us and all of us to build initiatives in which the result is reflected in a safer nation for all, all and todes," he concludes.