First-Ever Super Bowl Ad to Address Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

One of the things I like most about this ad is the minimalism. We never see the woman’s face. We never see her abuser. We never see the actual abuse. Instead, we hear a woman who’s too scared to even call 911. The camera then shows us the destruction throughout her house, and we are able to put two and two together. We are led to come to our own conclusion, and since we have no face to attribute to the woman, she can represent our neighbor, our aunt, our peer, our teacher, maybe even our own self.

When discussing the topic of abusive relationships, many people ignorantly state that the person being abused should just leave. While this may be possible in some situations, it is easier said than done in others. This ad by NO MORE shows how difficult it can be to let someone know that you need help. If the abuser in the video had known she was calling the police, the abuser would have undoubtedly become angry (because she obviously felt the need to disguise the call), and who knows how much harm could have come to her by the time the police drove that mile to her house.

Also, don’t be that person that takes a powerful ad and tears it down because “not all men are evil” and “men are abused, too.” No one is saying that they are all evil, and no one is saying that they aren’t abused. Either a male voice or a female voice could’ve been chosen for this ad, and since more women suffer from abuse — especially physical abuse — a woman’s voice was portrayed.

Abuse toward a man is just as wrong as abuse toward a woman. We need to educate ourselves on the signs of abuse (whether it be physical, verbal, emotional, etc.) so we can recognize it if it surfaces in our own relationships or in the relationships around us.

Take the pledge to say “NO MORE” to domestic violence and sexual assault at NOMORE.org.