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Say Maate to a Mate London
Violence against women and girls is a serious issue that affects many people around the world. In London, the Mayor’s Violence Against Women and Girls strategy aims to address this problem and create a safer city for everyone. As part of this strategy, the “Say Maaate to a Mate” campaign has been launched to encourage men to speak out against violence and support their friends and family members who may be experiencing it. The campaign aims to empower men to challenge their friends’ behavior and to create a culture where it is not acceptable to engage in threatening, aggressive, intimidating, or violent behavior towards women. In this article, we will explore the details of this campaign and its importance in creating a safer and more equal society.
What is the “Say Maaate to a Mate” campaign?
The “Say Maaate to a Mate” campaign is part of the Mayor’s Violence Against Women and Girls strategy in London. “Say Maate to a Mate” is a campaign that aims to tackle violence against women and girls. The campaign recognizes that men have a crucial role to play in ending
violence against women and girls. It aims to encourage men to speak out against violence and support their friends and family members who may be experiencing it. The campaign uses the word “maaate” as a way to encourage men to have open and honest conversations with each
other about violence and to support each other in taking action to prevent it.
Who launched this campaign?
In 2022, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan launched a new campaign called “Have a Word,” calling on men to reflect on their own attitudes and to say something when their friends behave inappropriately towards women. Following this, the “Say Maaate to a Mate” campaign was
developed in conjunction with behavioral scientists, following in-depth research with men in London of different ages and backgrounds and in a variety of different settings. The message itself has been tested with men and women, validated with linguistic science, and endorsed by
experts in tackling violence against women and girls. The campaign shows how a simple, familiar word can be all you need to interrupt when a friend is going too far without making things awkward, ruining the moment, or putting your friendship at risk. The campaign was developed by creative agency Ogilvy and spans broadcast TV, posters, billboards, and social and influencer marketing. The campaign has faced criticism, but the behavioral scientist who worked on the campaign has defended it, stating that the campaign is not about demonizing men but rather educating and helping them. The campaign slogan “Say Maate to a Mate” is a call to action for men to support their female friends, colleagues, and family members and to take a stand against violence.
Why is “Say Maaate to a Mate” important?
Violence against women and girls is a serious problem in the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics, an estimated 1.6 million women experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2020. The same report also found that women are more likely than men to
experience intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The Say Maaate to a Mate campaign is important because it recognizes that men have a crucial role to play in ending violence against women and girls. By speaking up and intervening, men can help to create a
culture where violence against women and girls is not tolerated. The campaign also aims to raise awareness about the issue and encourage more people to take action.
How can men get involved?
Men can get involved in the “Say Maaate to a Mate” campaign by having open and honest conversations with their friends and family members about violence against women and girls. They can also support their friends and family members who may be experiencing violence by listening to them, believing them, and helping them to access support services. Men can also take action to prevent violence by challenging harmful attitudes and behaviors and by promoting respect and equality in their own lives and communities.
How to Use Say Maaate to a Mate?
The campaign encourages men to use the word “mate” or a version of it to interrupt their friends when they see them engaging in inappropriate behavior towards women. The campaign recognizes that it is not always easy to know what to say or how to say it, but using a simple word like “mate” can be a non-confrontational way to intervene and prevent inappropriate behavior. The campaign provides some examples of situations where you might use Say Maaate to a Mate:
- If your friend is making unwanted sexual comments or advances towards a woman.
- If your friend is engaging in catcalling, stalking, staring, touching, taking pictures without consent, exposure to sexual assault, or rape.
- If your friend is engaging in controlling, confident, and self-centered behavior, as well as competitive.
Conclusion:
Say Maaate to a Mate is a campaign aimed at challenging wrongdoing amongst friends. It addresses issues such as threatening, aggressive, intimidating, or violent behavior; unwanted sexual comments or advances; controlling, confident, and self-centered behavior, as well as
competitiveness. The campaign acknowledges that it is not easy to be the one to challenge wrongdoing amongst friends, and that is why it encourages people to say “maaate” to their friends when they see them doing something wrong. In this way, the campaign aims to create a
culture where people feel comfortable calling out bad behavior and supporting each other to do the right thing
