Canadian Women’s Foundation Helps Canadians Know How to Answer to the Signal For Help

A national poll conducted by the Canadian Women’s Foundation identifies very low levels of confidence in knowing what to say and do to support someone experiencing gender-based violence.

The survey found about two thirds (64%) of people in Canada know a woman who has experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. 

“Chances are that everyone knows a survivor of gendered violence like physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. And with a higher risk of this abuse during the pandemic, it’s especially crucial that we all know how to help those going through this often-hidden abuse,” says Paulette Senior, president & CEO of the Canadian Women’s Foundation. “Offering judgement-free support is something we can all prepare ourselves for.” 

Only one in six people in Canada are very confident that they would know what to say or do to support someone experiencing sexual or emotional abuse. And only one in five are very confident that they would know what to say or do to support someone experiencing physical abuse. More specifically, only a fifth (19%) are very confident that they would know supportive things to say to someone experiencing physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, and only a quarter (26%) are very confident that they would know how to refer someone to helpful and reliable support services.

“November is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and today is the start of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. That’s why we’re giving people tools to get very confident in their ability to give judgement-free support to someone experiencing gender-based violence,” says Paulette. “We’re encouraging every single Canadian to become a Signal for Help Responder.”

If you see the Signal for Help or know someone who may be experiencing gender-based violence, you can sign up to be a Signal for Help Responder. Visit here or text SIGNAL to 540-540 to get a free Signal Responder Action Guide. 

The project has been funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada. The campaign is being launched with a PSA that invites responders to text 540 540 to know how to respond to a signal for help. 

In this video, responders are pledging their intention to become better responders to the signal for help, while video projections symbolize the domestic violence they might have been a witness to. It then unveils the number to text to know how to respond.

"We're introducing the number 540 540 as a numerical representation of the Signal for Help hand gesture,” says Graham Lang, chief creative officer, Juniper Park\TBWA. “If you see the Signal for Help being used online or IRL, it's a simple way to respond and get the Action Guide. Just text SIGNAL to 540 540 and you should get all the info you need on what to do next."  

The campaign was created by Juniper Park\TBWA. The video was directed by Kelsey Larkin, with pro bono support of Skin & Bones production house, Rooster Edit house, Alter Ego for post-production, Grayson Mathews for sound design, Media from Touché Media, and gracious out of home from AllVision, Astral Media, and Pattison.

The integrated campaign includes OLV, OOH, digital and social.