November 18 2020  |  Fragrances, Cosmetics, Skincare & Haircare

YSL Beauty launches global program: Abuse is Not Love

By Laura Shirk


Committing to funding academic research and employee training, Yves Saint Laurent Beauty aims to raise awareness and educate 2M+ people on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) by 2030 with the help of a number of non-profit organizations

In the lead-up to the UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Nov. 25, 2020, Yves Saint Laurent Beauty has launched "Abuse is Not Love", a new global program aimed at helping to raise awareness and combat intimate partner violence (IPV) by supporting the prevention programs of its three key non-profit partners: It’s On Us, En avant toute(s) and Women’s Aid.

According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 3 women will experience IPV in their lifetime and only a small percentage of survivors will come forward in order to achieve justice. Although the social issue impacts individuals regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, class, race, ethnicity or religion, IPV is overwhelming prevalent among women 16-24 years old.

As one of the most common forms of violence against women, IPV takes many forms: physical, sexual, financial and emotional abuse. Globally, more than 600M women are living in a country where IPV is not considered a crime. As a result of COVID-19, the rates of IPV have increased by 30-60%. With many women living in lockdown with an abusive partner, they have been unable to seek support from friends, colleagues, loved ones and expert organizations.

Research by UN Women shows that IPV comes with 9 key warning signs: ignorance, blackmail, humiliation, manipulation, jealousy, control, intrusion, isolation and intimidation. If these signs can be detected earlier, men and women across the globe might be able to recognize the abuse and seek or offer support. YSL Beauty pledges to do its part in bringing attention to these signs. Whether suffering from invasion of privacy or isolation from friends and family, instilling fear is often associated with IPV. To learn more about the warning signs, watch YSL’s campaign video.

“Abuse is Not Love” is built around three key pillars: funding academic research on the topic to develop thought-leadership around youth and prevention, educating 2M+ people on the signs of IPV through international partnerships and training YSL Beauty employees, advisors and ambassadors on IPV in the workplace.

This week, the leading L’Oréal-owned beauty brand hosted a virtual event to launch its CSR initiative and bring together a panel of experts to discuss the topic and participate in a Q&A. Representing the brand and its NGO partners, the panel featured the following key speakers:

Tracey Vitchers, Executive Director, It’s On Us (USA-based partner)

Ynaée Benaban, Co-Founder, En avant toute(s) (France-based partner)

Nicki Norman, Acting CEO, Women’s Aid Federation of England (UK-based partner)

Dr. Beth Livingston, Gender & Behavioral Management Researcher and Academic

Stephan Bezy, International General Manager, YSL Beauty at L’Oréal

Working to execute “Abuse is Not Love” on the ground, this group of experts discussed the causes, signs and responses of IPV in order to contribute to meaningful change. With more partnerships in the works in other countries, YSL’s goal is to reach people around the world with the support of local non-profit organizations.

“I knew I wanted to be involved in this initiative when I saw that YSL Beauty was not only taking a strong point of view, but also was making a commitment to drive measurable change via their partnerships with leading NGOs around the world.

The data on this topic is clear: IPV is a dangerous issue that affects women (and men) in all facets of their lives including the workplace and I believe that YSL Beauty’s efforts will help bring important resources and awareness to those in need,” says Dr. Livingston.

"Abuse is Not Love is a much-needed initiative that is true to the spirit of Yves Saint Laurent, who [supports] women’s freedom and equality. Today, I am prouder than ever to be a part of the YSL Beauty family and I look forward to working on this project together to fight against this abuse,” adds Zoë Kravitz, YSL Beauty Ambassador.

Please visit the following link to find a UN Women hotline compilation list: https://www.facebook.com/safety/domesticviolencere...

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