Be Aware!

Don’t be a victim.

Proposal

Campaign Name:

Be aware! Don’t be a Victim.

by Star PR for Curran Padake and Regent’s College

Purpose In the UK 1 in 3 students becomes the victim of a crime every year.

However, a survey of of female students at Regent's College indicate that 65% do feel safe living in London. This may be because they have not personally been the victim of a crime or because they feel that they are unlikely to become a victim. However, the statistics say otherwise, and that it would benefit students, and in particular females, to be better prepared.

The following campaign targets female university students and aims to increase knowledge and awareness about the possible dangers they face daily in London. The campaign does not teach self-defence, but awareness of your environment and your own behaviour, spotting risky situations and therefore avoiding them, so physical self-defence hopefully will remain unnecessary.

Research

• External: – Students own more expensive consumer

goods per head than the rest of the population.

– 1 in 3 students becomes the victim of a crime each year.

– Young people (aged 16 to 24 year old) are around 3 times more likely to be victims of burglary than people in other age groups.

Home Office Report 2009

Research

• Areas with worst crime rates in 2009 are: Westminster, Southwark, Islington, Camden, Hackney and Newham

• Crimes mostly affecting students are:– mugging – vehicle-related theft – burglary – rape

Research

• The Victims:

Women are more prone to being attacked due to their physical structure, however a lack of awareness of their environment increases the probability of being attacked in general.

Unawareness

• Distracted by the use of mobile phones & mp3 players

• Awareness of your own appearance and body-language

• Exposing luxury items • Alcohol makes you weaker to fight back• Alcohol consumption makes it harder to catch

suspects due to the fact that much of the incident cannot be recalled due to memory loss from heavy drinking

Research• Internal:

The students interviewed for the survey mostly feel safe in London, although 35% have witnessed some kind of criminal offence. There seems to be a clear distinction between what they feel are safe and unsafe areas:the posher the area, the safer, as the students feel that in rich areas CCTV is wider spread. However, the report from the Home Office shows, that crime in London is far more spread also in central and richer areas.?? The students' prejudice against East London is not completely wrong, however the assumption nothing can happen in the centre is. 80% of the questioned students use no self-defense weapon or alert (carry no?)

Survey within Regent’s College

However, all of them are in some way distracted when alone in the streets. Most of all the mobile phone is being used both in order to stay entertained and to feel safe. There is a general assumption that while talking to a friend on the phone one will not be attacked. The phone is closely followed by the mp3 player. Luxury items are sometimes exposed, but not to a high extend, and unlicensed minicabs and provocative clothing seem to be issues, most students have learned to be a no-go.

In order to protect themselves the mobile phone again plays a major role. Students feel safer, while having a friend on the phone, or just to have the phone ready to call the police. All other tactics mentioned seem reasonable (this is unclear..who mentioned them? Did students suggest others as ways they would protec themselves? Clarify this please), most students would approach a busy area. However there was no mentioning of body language, protecting personal space or avoiding risky situations in general, which implies that students are aware of risks, but take them “just once”.(did they use that phrase? Or is it yours? If it’s yours then you would be better saying the students are aware of risks but are prepared to take them believing….whatever it was that they said)..

In response to the question of how aware they would consider themselves, some were absolutely unsure; one student even wrote “could be 1 or 10…”. This shows that awareness, compared to self-defense, is a topic that needs to be communicated much more.

THE CAMPAIGN

Our Message

• √ Women should not let them self be distracted by their mp3 player while walking on their own at night

• √ Using a mobile phone in order to feel safer results in the exact opposite, one is more likely to being attacked

• √ Learning how to protect ones personal space and how to use body language and speech in order to defend it

• √ Learning how not to increase the likelihood of becoming a victim

• √ showing that there is no such thing as a safe or unsafe area, the campaign aims to increase the awareness of the general behavior of women on their own.

Strategy

– Pre-Campaign: • Stickers will be put on people’s backs without them

noticing it. On the Sticker there will be a message such as “You didn’t see me coming, right? Be Aware! Don’t be a victim.” Plus the website:

www.personal-safety.co.uk (the entire campaign will have a red layout, hence the flyer is red)

• Candy bars: Distributed for free around Uni. Underneath the wrapping there are small notes with facts and figures about crime in the UK, in particular towards women.

The Sticker

Strategy

– Campaign:• Launch: Self awareness day at Regent's College,

after the summer break to inform students about the campaign

• Target: female university students (Regent's College), 18 to 24

• Slogan: Be Aware! Don’t be a victim.

Key Messages

Protect your personal space Don’t listen to your mp3 player or ipod

while walking alone at night Don’t use your mobile phone when alone

in order to feel safe Be aware of the influence alcohol has on

your awareness Know how to stay safe!

Communication Channels

- Posters:

Showing different scenarios of women in danger. They will use both a comic and a serious way of communicating the message. Every poster will have its own headline with the campaign’s slogan as a subtext. And the web address too.

Communication Channels

- Website:

The major platform of the campaign, where all media will be available. (Informative texts, videos, galleries of all posters and advertisements, faq’s, interviews, news, contact details.)

Communication Channels

o Facebook-group:

As another channel to promote the website and the campaign.

o Youtube:

All Video Footage will be available on Youtube

o TV Advert:

Also available online

Communication Channels

• Press (The Regent):

–Press Release to inform the students about the campaign.

–“Stay safe. In style”- article for Grazia.

Communication Channels

o Supporters / Sponsors:

Addison Lee

Grazia Magazine

Leona Lewis (comes from Hackney, girl-next-door-celebrity)

Covergirl Cosmetics

MERCHANDISE

• Lighter and Matches: A-Side: Addison Lee slogan with telephone number. B-Side: Don’t go home in the dark. Don’t be a victim.

• Key-chains (with a USB-stick) • Sticker• Candy• Lipstick, Nail polish • Post-its• Stationary

Film ScriptsTo introduce the sticker:

Park at dusk/night. Young woman seen from behind.Silence but for her heels clicking on the pavement. Suddenly something flashes through the screen and is gone in a second. (it is supposed to be a man rushing through the screen, but not visible) The woman hasn’t really seen him either, just looks in the direction where he vanished. Than she turns back and keeps on walking.Focus on her back where now the sticker becomes visible. Close-up on the sticker, the background turns black.Voice-over or written text: ”Would you have seen him coming? Be aware! Don’t be a victim.

Film Scripts

Perspective of a CCTV cam. A girl is being mugged, knocked over by her attacker, who vanishes. The girl lies in the street. Nothing happens for about 5 seconds. Then the text/voice-over. Big Brother is watching. But why aren’t you? Be aware. Don’t be a victim.

Film Scripts

Crowded cafeteria scene. Everyone is wearing a hula-hoop around their hips. People try to squeeze their hoops into a lift etc. but the fact that they are wearing hula-hoops, seems to be the most normal thing on earth. Text/voive-over: Everyone has his personal space. Why don’t you protect yours? Be aware. Don’t be a victim.

Posters

Split screen, woman with shopping bags, i.e. in front of Harrods. The left side is at daytime, loads of tourist, friendly atmosphere. The right side is at night, the street is empty, creepy atmosphere. Big slogan: Trust your instinct, not your postcode. Small slogan: Be aware! Don’t be a victim.

Posters

T-junction. 1 road with streetlights, busy, friendly atmosphere, text says “20 minutes to get home”. The other road s the typically dark alley, text says “19 minutes to get home”. Big slogan: It only takes a minute to get mugged. Small slogan: Be aware! Don’t be a victim

Posters

Girl walking in a dark street, making all the behavioural mistakes she possibly could: Her purse is open, with her wallet nearly falling out; she listens to her ipod, texting with her phone in the other hand. In the corner of the poster a creepy man notices the girl. Slogan: They do it if they can. Subtext: Be aware! Don’t be a victim.

Posters

The typical how to… column in a girls magazine: How to…get mugged: 4 points:

– Walk home alone. Statistics show, that you are three times more likely to become the victim of a crime, if you are on your own at night. The hot spots of being mugged are dark alleys after 11pm. TIP: be a little drunk. Possible predators will be encouraged if you seem helpless!

– Leave your drink unattended. The easiest way to become a victim is having your drink spiked. Just leave it at the bar, when you go to the Loo or for a smoke. 90% guarantee you’ll wake up with a headache and without your panties.

Cont.– Be on the phone while alone in the street. This tactic will kill two

birds with one stone. As you’re chatting with your BBF you will lose sense of your surroundings, which makes it much easier for strangers to approach you. Thus, your sparkly Blackberry is visible in a second, so they can be sure that it’s worth mugging you.

– And finally, whatever you do, be naïve and trusting. Nobody will mug you if you appear suspicious and alert, so you have to make it easy for them. If the nice man in the van asks you for directions, you get into the car to see the map. Predators harm you if they get the chance, so you have to give it to them.

• Slogan: Sounds stupid? Then don’t do it! • Subtext: Be aware! Don’t be a victim.

Teaching Videos

Appearing on the website• 1- Protect your personal space

What personal space means What to do if a person gets into your personal

space: * use your hands/arms to keep the person on a

distance * the use of strong language to keep the

predator away from you

Teaching Videos

• 2-"I teach women a good slap"

Curran will explain how and why 'a good slap' can convince someone to stand back.

Men don't expect women to react. So, if a girl slaps a guy, he will probably get confused, which gives the victim time to escape.

Teaching Videos

• 3- "How to protect yourself"- A cup of tea/coffeeIf women are being approached by a predator they can throw their cup of hot tea/coffee at their aggressor's face to protect themselves and they will have the time to run away- A book/magazineRoll up a magazine to defend themselves. Aim for the nose with the hardcover because it's really painful.- A key in hand to use it as a weapon.

Teaching Videos• 4- "Be aware of your environment"

- Avoid walking alone at night- Be aware of the image you create through your posture, body-

language and behavior. - Don't use an illegal cab- If you wear a short dress, wear a long coat- Avoid dangerous areas- Don't use mp3-players or mobile phones while walking in the street

as they can distract your attention from danger.- Don’t get wasted!- Don’t leave your drink unattended.- Don’t expose luxury items while alone in the streets.

Press Release

BE AWARE... THIS STICKER MIGHT SAVE YOUR LIFE!London, April 10, 2010. The one week mystery at Regent’s College campus has finally been solved. In the past week, numbers of students from all five schools were left wondering amongst them why and who had pasted a sticker in their upper back without them noticing. It was today that three senior students claim responsibility – and present the launch of their Self-Awareness Campaign.

Press Release

“It was only until I arrived home and I took my jumper off to put it in the wash when I realised there was a relatively big orange sticker with the shape of Kenny the little mugger guy from ‘south park’,” says Laura a student from RACL. “I then looked closely and the sticker read: You didn’t see me coming, right? Be aware. Don’t be a victim. In small print the sticker also had a website www.selfawareness.co.uk, which of course I immediately consulted. I then found out that it was all about helping women become more aware of their own environment. It is a very user friendly website as it teaches and entertains you at the same time.”

Press ReleaseThe Stickers are the first part of the ‘BE AWARE. DON’T BE A VICTIM’ Women’s-Self-Awareness campaign, brought to life by Anna, Anne and Daniella, students from Regents College together with the collaboration of Curran Padake, approved Self Protection Instructor by the British Combat Association.“After giving it some thought, we came to the conclusion that women and in particular university students lack awareness of their environment. They are susceptible targets for the so many predators out there” says Anna Wambolt, student from Regent’s College and creator of the campaign. “This is not a self-defence campaign; instead we want to prevent the situation where self defence becomes necessary. Our key message is not to be distracted and make yourself a victim.

Press Release“One of the major issues that makes a women a victim is the usage of mobile phones and mp3 players while walking on the street. One loses concentration and in a matter of seconds one has been mugged,” says Curran Padake “I also advise women to protect their personal space and in case of being followed, confront the suspect by screaming with an authoritative voice ‘what the f...k do you want?’ That will confuse them and reduce the chances of any type of abuse.”The campaign will be presented through TV advertisements and posters, but also on the internet. The website www.selfawareness.co.uk has been online since the first sticker appeared on a student’s coat last Monday. The campaign seems to have hit a nerve, as its facebook-group increases its number of members every day.According to the website the sticker-campaign was not the last strike, as it promises a mysterious “bitter-sweet follow-up”.

VISUALS