Research shows that majority of men who abuse women have been victims of abuse themselves. This insight – that ‘Hurt People, Hurt People’ - lies behind a powerful new multi-platform campaign from the Western Cape Government aimed at encouraging men to break the cycle of abuse by seeking professional help and counselling through the Western Cape Government’s GBV Command Centre for the pain and abuse inflicted on them in their lifetime. 

Created by advertising agency, FCB (South Africa) and directed by Greg Gray of Romance Films with executive producer, Helena Woodfine, the 60 second film follows a young boy’s journey of childhood trauma to its inevitable conclusion where we see the abusive behaviour of the father mirrored in the now-grown child. 

Showing the abuser as the abused and eliciting understanding for the perpetrator of abuse as a victim is something that needed to be carefully handled.  In no way could the campaign be seen to be making excuses for abusive behaviour or absolving men of responsibility for their actions.

Greg succeeds in drawing a fine line between abused and abuser with sensitivity and subtlety and without either judging or justifying the behaviour of his protagonists. Shot in Cape Town with a cast of local actors delivering powerfully understated performances, the film has a quiet authenticity and clear-eyed credibility that brings the everyday, ordinary horror of abuse to life with compassion and care to deliver a message of hope for men caught in a cycle of abuse that the cycle can end. And that it can end with them. 

“With this communication, we want to encourage introspection on what it means to be masculine and help change the narrative of toxic masculinity before someone else gets hurt.”