Enough

The government has recognised violence against women and girls (VAWG) as a national emergency. In the last year alone, one in every eight women was a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking, with abuse among teenagers in relationships reaching troubling levels. In response, the Home Office has worked with FCB London and WPP Media’s Wavemaker team on a new phase of its ENOUGH campaign, to drive recognition and challenge abusive behaviours that have become concerningly normalised.
Developed in collaboration with organisations across the VAWG sector, FCB London’s campaign uses a bold creative device to expose the insidious nature of these everyday behaviours to enable young men and boys to recognise that these are forms of abuse.
The snake serves as a metaphor for the abusive behaviours, from monitoring a partner’s movements, isolating them from friends or sending unsolicited images. Its unsettling presence exposes the creeping and harmful nature of these behaviours, mirroring many women and girls’ experiences of abuse.
The films were created in partnership with director Emma Branderhorst and The Corner Shop, using real snakes to heighten the authenticity of the metaphor. Still photography was shot by Sam Barker whose work helped define the campaign’s visual tension and atmosphere.
Owen Lee, Chief Creative Officer, FCB London, said:
“We were deeply concerned when we uncovered how many abusive behaviours had become ‘normal’ and every day for our audience. We needed a powerful visual device to enable young men to recognise these behaviours for what they are and challenge this normalisation. The metaphor of a snake has long been used as a symbol of a dark presence, from the Bible to Harry Potter. Here, rather than trigging defensiveness, it allows young men to see how their own actions could constitute abusive behaviour and understand the harm they cause.”
Media strategy and planning were led by WPP Media’s Wavemaker team, deploying a multi-channel approach across display, video on demand (VOD), social, digital audio, TV, and OOH to engage 18–34-year-olds in real-world contexts where violence against women and girls is most visible. The activity was anchored around key cultural moments in time-specific contexts, reflecting audience passions – football, festive socialising, and dating – creating an immediate shortcut to recognising and challenging these harmful behaviours. With research indicating a January to February spike in dating, the campaign will deliver tailored placements across dating apps, online dating content, and OOH near nightlife and transport hubs. Media buying was facilitated by Omnigov.
Minister for Violence Against Women and Girls and Safeguarding, Jess Phillips, said: “Violence against women and girls is a national emergency and every year it ruins millions of lives.
“If we’re going to halve abuse in a decade, we must drive a generational shift in the societal attitudes and behaviours that underpin it.
"I wear a seat belt and don't drink and drive because of the public health campaigns I saw growing up.
"The 'Enough' campaign can have the same impact for violence against women and girls. It will help young men understand which behaviours are unacceptable and prompt the wider public recognition that is vital, and long overdue."
Andrea Simon, Director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), said: “We welcome this next phase of the government’s ENOUGH campaign to tackle male violence against women and girls and are pleased to see it expose harmful behaviours that so often fly under the radar.
“The End Violence Against Women Coalition has long campaigned for multi-year public campaigns that aim to shift the societal attitudes and behaviours that underpin male violence against women and girls, because this is key to preventing abuse.
“We’re pleased to see the campaign focus on reaching men and boys to raise awareness about abusive behaviours, because we can’t end violence against women and girls without engaging men and boys.
“Prevention is always better than acting after harm has been done, which is why it must be a long-term commitment and a cornerstone of the government’s plans to halve violence against women.”

Because these behaviours are so widespread and easy to overlook, the campaign calls on the wider public too, encouraging them to stop accepting excuses or euphemisms that downplay harm. It encourages people to name what they see and condemn these behaviours when they see them.
The campaign is a measure in the government’s Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, which is also published today (Thursday 18th December).