Domestic Violence Helpline 179: Communiqué CSR Campaign
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, Communiqué launched a campaign to promote the domestic violence helpline 179. The campaign supported the Commission on Gender Based Violence and Domestic Violence and responded to the growing risk of abuse during the COVID-19 stay-at-home period.
This initiative aimed to raise awareness of the domestic violence helpline 179 and encourage victims to seek support. At a time when many families faced added pressure, the campaign delivered an important message: help remained available, and no one had to face abuse alone.
Promoting the Domestic Violence Helpline 179 Across Malta
Communiqué developed the campaign to reach people through multiple channels. It included posters at bus shelters across Malta as well as messages on major online news portals. This broad approach helped bring the message into public spaces and digital platforms where it could reach more people.
The campaign focused on making the domestic violence helpline 179 more visible and accessible. It reminded victims that support was available through a freephone service and encouraged them to take the first step towards safety.
A Multilingual Campaign with a Clear Purpose
Bernice Micallef, Managing Director of Communiqué, explained that rising reports of domestic violence reflected increasing tension in local households. Some families had already experienced abuse before the pandemic. However, new pressures also created serious difficulties in homes where such behaviour had not been visible before.
Communiqué drew on previous experience from the EU campaign Breaking the Cycle of Violence. That experience showed that victims of domestic violence do not all speak Maltese or English. For this reason, the domestic violence helpline 179 campaign also included messages in Italian, French, German, Serbian, and Filipino.
Two campaign messages encouraged women to call the helpline for support. A third message spoke directly to perpetrators and urged them to stop the violence. Communiqué’s creative team developed visuals that showed the trauma of domestic violence and reinforced the message that support was available.
A Collaborative CSR Campaign
Bernice Micallef also highlighted the strong collaboration behind the project. Communiqué worked closely with the team from the Commission on Gender Based Violence and Domestic Violence to develop and deliver the campaign. Several companies also supported the initiative, including Faces, Paza, and Mapfre Middlesea, as well as a number of Maltese news portals.
This campaign shows how communication can support an urgent social cause. By promoting the domestic violence helpline 179, Communiqué helped raise awareness, encourage action, and support victims during a difficult period.
Learn more about our approach on our What We Do page and explore more projects on our Our Work page. You can also find support and information through the relevant organisations and helpline services working in this field.
