In the fall of 2017, the #MeToo campaign took social media by storm, empowering survivors of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse to share their experiences and raise awareness about the magnitude of this problem.
Through a carefully crafted PSA, we aimed to expand the cultural conversation around sexual abuse and assault to recognize that anyone can be a survivor of such experiences—regardless of gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnicity, culture, class, faith, or ability.
More specifically, we wanted to bring awareness to the estimated 1 in 6 men who have experienced sexual abuse or assault in the United States.
This PSA was created in partnership with NO MORE and funded in part by the NFL.
We aimed to dispel the myth that men are invulnerable, encouraging viewers of the PSA to have compassion for all survivors of sexual abuse and assault, regardless of their gender identity or expression. Furthermore, we hoped the PSA would encourage male survivors to have compassion for themselves—to know that it wasn't their fault.
"While it's true that more women are impacted by sexual violence than men, there is still a significant number of men who experience sexual trauma, and we need to make space to listen to them," said Tracy DeTomasi, Executive Director of NO MORE. "If we want to end the epidemic of sexual violence in our culture, we must listen to all survivors."
Total video views - 3,900,000+
Total shares - 73,000+
Total reactions - 57,000+
Total comments - 2,000+
This PSA was the first of its kind, transforming male sexual trauma from a stigmatized, private problem into an actionable community issue.
In addition to helping men and those around them heal, this PSA honored the reality that men can also be survivors (as opposed to just potential perpetrators), which can benefit the anti-sexual violence movement at large; when men see their stories reflected, they are more likely to join the movement to end sexual violence of all kinds.
"I couldn't be more proud of our team for creating this beautiful, timely, and perfectly honest PSA. Truth is powerful and so hopeful." - Actor and director Anthony Edwards, Vice President of 1in6's Board of Directors
"We have learned so much about the ways that sexual violence impacts people of every gender, age, race, and socioeconomic status. We applaud 1in6 for their critical work for male survivors in particular, and we are proud to support their work." - Anna Isaacson, NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility
