Major domestic violence and sexual assault prevention organizations across the country, corporate and government leaders, celebrities, athletes and thousands of advocates join forces for “NO MORE Day”

New national survey reinforces urgent need for increased awareness and education on domestic violence and sexual assault prevention.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 13, 2013 – Today, major domestic violence and sexual assault prevention organizations across the U.S. have joined forces with corporate leaders, branding experts, celebrities, athletes and advocates nationwide to launch the first unifying branding symbol (like the pink breast cancer ribbon and the red AIDS ribbon) for domestic violence (DV) and sexual assault (SA), called NO MORE.

NO MORE is designed to unify everyone working to combat these issues in an unprecedented way – whether their focus is women and girls, men and boys, teenagers, children, minorities, rural or urban communities as well as corporate leaders from a variety of business sectors – behind one, powerful brand created to transform awareness and action.

“We needed to create a powerful icon that would subconsciously communicate strength, solidarity and optimism while consciously communicating the idea of zero tolerance for DV/SA” Christine Mau, European Design Director at Kimberly-Clark, who joined NO MORE as a branding and communication expert. “By breaking the silence and shining a light on how these issues negatively affect everyone in our society, and empowering people with knowledge, we will end the stigma and shame associated with DV/SA as we move toward our goal of prevention.”

NO MORE has been in the making since 2009 and was developed because despite the significant progress that has been made in raising awareness around these issues, they remain hidden and on the margins of public concern.

The Public Launch of NO MORE – “NO MORE Day” To introduce NO MORE to the general public, a wide range of supporters including Actor and Advocate Mariska Hargitay, the President and Founder of the Joyful Heart Foundation, and Ashley Greene, actress and Avon’s mark Brand Ambassador, are in Washington DC, on March 13, 2013, NO MORE Day to demonstrate their support for this unprecedented initiative.

Mariska Hargitay, well known for her leading role as Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, will urge communities to say NO MORE to domestic violence and sexual assault during a Newsmaker event in the National Press Club’s Holeman Lounge at 12:30 pm. She will also address the backlog of rape evidence collection kits (rape kits) nationwide, which is allowing rapists to get away with their crimes.

Ashley Greene, another advocate for NO MORE, will announce new data from the “NO MORE Study: Teens and Young Adults,” funded by mPowerment by mark operated by the Avon Foundation for Women on the grim reality of dating violence and sexual assault for 15 – 22-year-olds in this country.

Conducted by GfK Public Affairs & Corporate Communications, the survey shows an urgent need for increased awareness and education around dating violence and sexual assault, with an emphasis on the simple things the public can do to prevent violence and help victims before it is too late.

According to the study, more than half of young people (15-22 year olds) know a victim of dating violence or sexual assault, but say it would be hard for them to intervene or help a victim. Forty percent said they would not know what to do if they witnessed these crimes. Many report that they want to help, but they are uncertain how to recognize dating violence and sexual assault and do not know how to safely get help for victims.

Key findings of the NO MORE study include:

• 51% of all 15-22-year-olds in the United States know a victim of dating violence or sexual assault.
• 53% say it would be hard for them to help a victim of dating violence or sexual assault.
• 40% say that they would not know what to do if they witnessed a sexual assault or dating violence.
• 1 in 3 young women and nearly 1 in 2 young men say they do not know the signs of sexual assault.
• 62% agree that talking about dating abuse and sexual assault would make it easier for them to step in and help someone.

“The Avon Foundation funded this survey to better understand why awareness of dating violence as an issue is improving, but bystander actions are not keeping up,” said Carol Kurzig, President of the Avon Foundation for Women. “The data shows us that young people are willing to speak out, but that they don’t always know how to recognize the signs of abuse or how best to intervene. Raising awareness of the signs and how to take action is an essential first step in breaking the cycle of violence.”

Other NO MORE day events include exclusive screenings of the Academy Award Nominated documentary, The Invisible War, in various cities, “NO MORE Night” at the Washington Wizards vs Milwaukee Bucks NBA game and a NO MORE Day Twitter Chat (using hashtag #NOMOREday March 13, at 3 p.m. EST) where any and every supporter of NO MORE can lend their voice powerfully to help end domestic and sexual violence.

Volunteers and financial support from organizations and individuals who care deeply about ending domestic violence and sexual assault, including the Allstate Foundation, the AVON Foundation for Women, Fifth & Pacific Foundation, Finn Partners, the Joyful Heart Foundation and the Verizon Foundation helped make the NO MORE symbol a reality. In addition, representatives from nearly every major domestic violence and sexual assault prevention organization in the country have supported the vision for NO MORE’s potential to revolutionize how these issues are seen by the public.

They all support NO MORE

• A Call to Men
• Break the Cycle
• California Coalition Against Sexual Assault
• Casa de Esperanza
• Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence
• Futures Without Violence
• Joyful Heart Foundation
• Men Can Stop Rape
• National Alliance to End Sexual Violence
• National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• National Domestic Violence Hotline
• National Network to End Domestic Violence
• National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
• National Sexual Violence Resource Center
• Resources Sharing Project
• Safe Horizon
• Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault
• U.S. Department of Justice Office on
• Violence Against Women

The official sponsors of NO MORE Day are the Allstate Foundation, the Avon Foundation for Women, Fifth and Pacific Foundation, the Joyful Heart Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Patton Boggs LLP and the Verizon Foundation.

About NO MORE
NO MORE is a new, overarching symbol, like the pink breast cancer ribbon and the yellow support our troops ribbon, that is bringing together all people, organizations and communities that support ending domestic violence and sexual assault in our society. It has been in the making since 2009 and was developed because despite the significant progress that has been made in raising awareness around these issues, they remain hidden and on the margins of public concern. For more information on NO MORE, to get involved or to get the symbol, visit www.nomore.org and get updates on Twitter @NOMOREorg or Facebook www.facebook.com/NOMORE,org.

The history of NO MORE
The NO MORE symbol has been in the making since 2009. It was developed because despite the significant progress that has been made in the visibility of domestic violence and sexual assault, these problems effecting millions remain hidden and on the margins of public concern. Hundreds of representatives from the domestic violence and sexual assault prevention field came together and agreed that a new, overarching symbol, uniting all people working to end these problems, could have a dramatic impact on the public’s awareness.

The signature blue vanishing point originated from the concept of a zero – as in zero incidences of domestic violence and sexual assault. It was inspired by Christine Mau, a survivor of domestic violence and sexual abuse who is now the Director of European Designs at Kimberly-Clark. The symbol was designed by Sterling Brands, and focus group tested with diverse audiences across the country who agreed that the symbol was memorable, needed and important.