TERRE DES FEMMES has been fighting on behalf of women's rights for years. With the #UNHATEWOMEN campaign, the women's rights organisation has now succeeded in drawing attention to the widespread hate crimes against women and girls on the Internet while increasing the pressure for action on the part of politicians. Most successfully: The German Federal Council approves a legislative package against hate crimes. In the future, hate crimes and threats on the Internet will be prosecuted more vigorously and effectively.
Background
Violence against women has many faces
Every day, women fight against stereotypes, sexism and physical violence. But violence against women can also be inflicted with words. As has been the case with German rap: it dominates the charts and promotes a Stone Age image of women.
Draw attention, create awareness & stimulate discussion
#UNHATEWOMEN brings awareness to the fact that verbal violence against women is not a fun attitude, but harms people and lays the foundation for further forms of violence. The campaign aims to create awareness with the use of misogynist language in the German rap scene.
Intensify pressure and initiate change
The goal is to increase the pressure on politicians to take decisive action against discriminative language against women. TERRE DES FEMMES demands a consistent effort to eradicate and prosecute hate crimes against women and girls on the Internet.
Describe the creative idea / insights (30% of vote)
What remains of the lyrics when they are taken out of their context: pure misogyny
Through a viral video campaign, #UNHATEWOMEN takes on the rappers with their own weapons: their lyrics. Placing them in the hands of those who are subjected to verbal violence in their lyrics. Read out by women and free from bling-bling and booming beats, only one thing remains out of many songs: pure misogyny. #UNHATEWOMEN exposes this hatred in an unspectacular but shocking way.
We don't criticise the artists, but rather their lyrics that scorn women. That is how we spark a discussion on the topic of hate crimes against women in the German rap scene.
And whoever feels that they have been absolved of their responsibility by claiming the lyrics are an expression of artistic freedom, can at least be aware of the consequences of this alleged art thanks to the campaign.
Describe the strategy (20% of vote)
Using the press as a multiplier and maximising pressure on politicians to act
The aim was to use digital exposure to attract the attention of the leading media. With the press as a multiplier, the issue of violence against women should be given public attention to maximise the pressure on politicians. In the end, the latter should be forced to take measures to combat and prosecute hate crimes against women and girls on the Internet.
The strategy: focusing on misogynistic lyrics, instead of those that utter them
Instead of attacking an entire culture, #UNHATEWOMEN seeks an open exchange. In order to provoke a real discussion about misogyny in German rap, it does not help to criticise artists for what they are, but for what they say in their songs. Without casting a contemptuous glance at such a diverse culture, but with a clear message: violence against women must be prevented.
Describe the execution (20% of vote)
Start a movement and encourage discussion
On social networks, rappers glorifying violence reach an audience of millions. To make #UNHATEWOMEN heard, the campaign used exactly these channels. The campaign video and accompanying motifs called for posting the hashtag #UNHATEWOMEN under misogynistic content, lyrics and songs.
On YouTube, individual quotations were placed as pre-rolls in front of the very music videos from which the texts originated. It was impossible to ignore them!
On the website Unhate-Women.com, users could download a dedicated filter for their profile picture. Allowing everyone to make a personal statement against hate speech and raise it as a topic in their own social circles.
Using social channels served as an optimal springboard. The intention was to create as much buzz as possible from the start. After all, those who can generate a high level of engagement in social networks also demonstrate social relevance.
List the results (30% of vote)
#UNHATEWOMEN rocks the rap scene and social media
The video spreads like wildfire. Through private messages, rapper Fler threatens an Instagram user who shares the video and ultimately sets a price on her head.
#UNHATEWOMEN hits the headlines of leading media
The campaign becomes a controversially discussed topic and the subject of nationwide reporting. Süddeutsche Zeitung, Tagesspiegel, Welt and Bild cover the campaign.
The coverage culminates in an exclusive Stern TV report. The result: 10 million social media impressions and 46 million media impressions.
The discussion and solidarity among the population has an impact
Conciliatory statements and the announcement of charity concerts follow. Fler apologizes publicly to his victim.
The law against hate crimes is passed
The campaign successfully increases the pressure on politicians to take action: the German Federal Council passes the law against hate crimes on the Internet. A GZUZ song quoted in the #UNHATEWOMEN campaign is indexed.
Please tell us about the social behaviour that inspired the work
Language creates reality
The rhymed boundary violations, rape fantasies, and violent outbursts have consequences. They turn verbal violence against women into an everyday reality. Partly, because they rarely meet opposition. On the one hand there is great fear of antagonising the heavyweights of the scene. And on the other hand, because many people are unaware of what they are singing along to. So how do you raise awareness for a problem that most of us no longer notice when we hear it?
Draw attention, create awareness & stimulate discussion
#UNHATEWOMEN wants to raise people's awareness that verbal violence against women is not a fun attitude, but actually harms people and lays the foundation for further forms of violence against women. To this end, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the problem of violence against women within the German rap scene and the need to address it.