Here’s what’s going on:
– A campaign to combat coercive control
– A cool new centre for climate change research
– Turning up the volume on harassment at gigs
Buckle up…
Taking back control
Coercive control – a relationship in which one partner takes over all the decisions about the appearance and behaviour of the other – is as serious as physical abuse. Which is why it's now against the law in the UK. That's the message behind these hard-hitting ads for Women's Aid. On the face of it, they look like style shots from a fashion supplement, but get into the small print and the true story is revealed – of how controlling behaviour can disempower and rob someone of their identity. Like the ad says, 'If your relationship doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.'
Cool climate
While climate change is, justifiably, the subject of much heated debate, the opening of a new centre for climate change study sets an altogether calmer tone around the conversation. Located on the coast of Greenland, 250km inside the Arctic Circle, the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre is a centre for research, education and exhibitions which explore the impact of climate change in this part of the world. Designed by Danish architecture studio Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter, the building has a unique twisted triangular structure with a viewing platform on the roof. According to Mandrup, the inspiration for the building came from 'a snowy owl's flight through the landscape'.
Facing the music
While this summer has seen a welcome return to live music, for some women at least, heading back into the arena has been a fraught experience. According to White Ribbon, a charity working to end male violence against women, two out of five women report being sexually harassed at a music festival or gig. To highlight the issue, White Ribbon commissioned a series of ads that cleverly mimic festival posters. But instead of listing the artists, they catalogue the kinds of abuse women can suffer and encourage men to take ownership of the problem by calling out sexism and abuse where they see it.
