Speak out against violence, ad competition asks youth

MANILA, Philippines - Domestic violence is real, and it exists in the Philippines. Contrary to popular belief, it goes beyond mere physical abuse — and even more disturbing, even young people are not exempt from becoming its victims.

He or she could very well be someone you know from school or your community; and worse, even someone in your family. The question is, will you sit back and let them suffer in silence?

Avon, the company for women, and its “Speak Out Against Domestic Violence” campaign invites the youth to make their voices count, help break the cycle of abuse and call attention to this critical issue with the Speak Out public service ad competition.

The contest invites individuals aged 18 to 25 to make a concrete contribution to the anti-domestic violence cause with the creation of public service ads in the form of a print and TV ad.

To join, qualified individuals should form a group of three to five and log on to the Avon website (www.avon.com.ph/PRSuite/speakoutcontest.page) to download and fill in the official application form, which must be submitted along with the initial requirements. All entries and forms must be submitted via email to [email protected] on or before Saturday, June 30. The top three winners will receive cash prizes of P75,000, P50,000 and P25,000.

You don’t have to be an NGO worker or an expert in the field to make a difference — your creativity, passion and initiative can be useful and impactful weapons in the war against domestic violence. So step up and harness your talents and skills to help spread the word and raise awareness — for abuse only stops when you start speaking out.

For more information on Avon Speak Out Against Domestic Violence and full mechanics and updates on the Public Service Ad Competition, visit www.facebook.com/AvonPhilippines, www.avon.com.ph and follow Avon at www.twitter.com/AvonPH.