All I want for Christmas is Safer Streets

L’Oreal Stand up for Street Harrassment Against Women

An international study by L’Oréal Paris revealed that sexual harassment in public spaces was identified as the most important issue faced by women across the world. 80% of women have experienced sexual harassment in public spaces, and 76% of people have witnessed sexual harassment in public spaces. 

A further study by L’Oréal Paris in collaboration with Touche Pas À Ma Pote, the Belgian organisation that campaigns against gender based street harassment revealed that among 1,000 women in Belgium, 95% sometimes feel unsafe on the streets with 15% of respondents rarely or never feeling safe. A shocking 91% of young women in Brussels say they have already been sexually harassed in public places.

With this in mind, L’Oreal aimed to provide reassurance to those feeling insecure or unsafe on the streets of Brussels and remind them about the Stand Up initiative which provides training in the intervention of street harrassment and support for those who have experienced it. 

At the brightest time of the year, the Christmas lights in the Rue Botanique – a dimly lit alley in central Brussels – is adorned with five expansive Christmas light garlands. Created by independent creative agency Mutant, each garland intricately portrays motifs dedicated to addressing street harassment against women. This art installation vividly captures the challenges women often face when alone on the streets, amplifying the collective plea for safer streets during the holiday season: “All I want for Christmas is safer streets.”

In recent times, budget constraints have led to the increased dimming of public lighting, intensifying the sense of insecurity for women. Despite these cutbacks, the one illumination that remains unwavering is the festive holiday decorations, symbolizing the community’s commitment to addressing the crucial issue of women’s safety in public spaces.

Beyond the awareness aspect, Stand-Up Against Street Harassment – L’Oréal Paris’ CSR program – encourages everyone to take the Stand Up training, which advises women and witnesses on how to respond to street harassment situations. The free online training, which only takes 10 minutes, can be accessed on the website: https://www.standup-international.com/be/fr/ 

Delphine Viguier-Hovasse, Global President of L’Oréal Paris said: “Touche Pas À Ma Pote’ also organizes group training sessions. Street harassment remains an urgent social issue. It is time to enter a new era of solidarity where we help all women feel safe in public spaces. We have always been committed to women’s empowerment, and with the Stand Up training, we are putting words into action. We work with local organizations in several countries to spread the training as widely as possible, and we are very happy to have ‘Touche Pas À Ma Pote’ as our Belgian partner. Together, we are working towards a world where self-esteem is a right, not an injustice.”

Jonathan d’Oultremont, creative, Mutant added “The idea was to illuminate a street because we know it’s part of the solution and simultaneously highlight the problem. Literally. With what everyone loves to admire on the streets: Christmas lights. All our Christmas lights were designed based on the survey results. For example, we noticed that 20% of women keep their keys in hand as a potential self-defense tool, so we replaced traditional snowflake motifs with a bunch of keys.”

Roxane Schneider, Art Director on the project and now ACD at FCB New York continued: “The strength of these out-of-home advertisements lies in the contrast between the enchanting and comforting aspect of Christmas lights and the gravity of the problem we wanted to expose. But it was also a way to offer hope to all these women. That they can admire these Christmas lights with a deep desire to make a difference in the future.”

The five Christmas lights will remain on Rue Botanique in 1210 Brussels until January 9, 2024.

Source: Mutant

  Advertising, Awareness, Belgium, Christmas, L’Oréal Paris, Marketing, Mutant, Touche Pas À Ma Pote