Is it 'True Love' or is it abuse?

 

Domestic Abuse awareness starts on November 25 and this year, Hertfordshire is aiming to raise awareness amongst young people.

 

Young people from schools across Hertfordshire have already been helping to get the message out by writing radio scripts for an advert that will be broadcast during the ‘True Love?’ campaign on radio station Jack FM. See below for the chosen adverts and those that came a close second.

 

Traditionally, domestic abuse campaigns are aimed at adults, but it isn’t just an adult issue – young people can be both victims and perpetrators.  This year, Hertfordshire is aiming its campaign at young people due to an increasing awareness of issues around teenage relationships including violence, exploitation - and emotional abuse using social media.

Education Support Police Community Support Officers went into Year Ten and Eleven classrooms around the county to deliver awareness training around abuse and the many forms it can take.  To see the True Love presentation, click HERE.  You can use the 'up' and 'down' arrows on your keyboard to scroll through the different slides on the presentation.

 

Students were then invited to write a script for a radio advert (either individually or in groups) depicting abuse following one of three themes:

• Abuse between a young couple
• Young people witnessing abuse at home
• Cyber-abuse – via social media

 

Publicity materials

 

Posters, stickers and screensavers have been distributed to schools, colleges, University of Hertfordshire, Connexions Centres, Childrens’ Centres, doctors’ surgeries and health clinics across the county. Click  here to see the screensaver and click  here to see the poster.

 

The Radio Adverts

 

More than 60 entries were submitted by nearly 200 students and three of the scripts have been chosen to be professionally produced and broadcast as adverts on commercial radio station Jack FM from the end of November to the end of December 2012.

 

Listen to the three chosen adverts:

 

The chosen Victim of Domestic Violence advert:
LISTEN:

Cree-Savannah Montague
from Kings Langley School

 

The chosen Witnessing DV advert:
LISTEN:

Saqib Hussain, Ibrahim Rathore, Sanaullah Khan Niazi, Faras Yousaf
group entry from Westfield CTC, Watford

 

The chosen Cyber Bullying advert:
LISTEN:

Ishfaq Nizam, Rodrigo Jesus, Tariq Mahmood and Georgia Banner
Westfield CTC, Watford

 

The students whose adverts were chosen with Jack FM breakfast show presenters Steve Folland and Jules Mayne.  Unfortunately, Ishfaq Nizam, Rodrigo Jesus, Tariq Mahmood and Georgia Banner were not able to join the others for the photographs.

 

The students whose adverts were chosen at Hertfordshire Constabulary Headquarters with Superintendent Mick Hanlon and DCI Glen Channer with PCSOs Steve Hartley and Julian Randall-Stratton.  Unfortunately, Ishfaq Nizam, Rodrigo Jesus, Tariq Mahmood and Georgia Banner were not able to join the others for the photographs.

 

Two other adverts were selected as coming in as a close second. Unfortunately, we couldn’t broadcast these on the radio but we have been able to record them in–house and you can listen to them here:

 

Witnessing DV close second:

LISTEN:

Jessica Wilson
from Sherrardswood School, Welwyn

 

Victim of Abuse close second:

LISTEN:

Group entry from Levi Spence, Laura Fisher, Kyra Taylor-Brewster
Westfield Community Technical College, Watford

 

The second place entrants with Jack FM breakfast presenters Steve Folland and Jules Mayne.

 

The second place entrants at Hertfordshire Constabulary Headquarters with Superintendent Mick Hanlon and PCSOs Steve Hartley and Mark Parfitt.

 

 

Why we chose to aim the campaign at young people

According to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), growing numbers of young people are finding themselves in abusive relationships.

 

The British Crime Survey states that teenagers are now more at risk of domestic abuse than any other age group. And if they are abused, they are unlikely to report it.

 

Detective Superintendent Mick Hanlon, who heads up the County Community Safety Unit, says:  “We want to raise awareness of this ‘hidden’ crime and we have been so impressed by the really excellent quality of the ‘True Love?’ entries we received.

 

“As well as educating young people about the warning signs of abuse, it’s also important to talk about issues like cyber abuse – threatening, teasing or abusing someone using social media, instant messaging, email or mobile phones. Offenders need to know that they may be committing a criminal offence and victims need to know there is support for them.

 

“Everyone who entered has obviously put so much thought into their scripts and each and every one was really impactive and thought provoking. We would like to say a huge thanks to everyone who entered."

 

If you’ve been affected by abuse:

 

For information and support around any kind of abuse, visit www.hertssunflower.org or freephone  08 088 088 088 10am to 10pm, Monday to Friday. You can also call Childline on  0800 1111.

 

The campaign has been run in partnership with  Jack FM and with support from the  Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Board.