A vicious circle

Research shows that the majority of men who inflict abuse on their families have been victims of abuse themselves. 

The insight, that 'hurt people hurt people', lies behind the creation of this powerful film created by FCB/Cape Town and directed by Greg Gray of Romance Films.

The film follows a young boy’s experience of childhood trauma and the anger and pain it causes him, leading to the aggression he witnessed in his father reemerging later in his own adult behaviour towards his loved ones. 

The multi-platform campaign encourages men to break the cycle of abuse by seeking counselling through the Western Cape Government’s Gender Based Violence Command Centre. 

Shot in Cape Town with a cast of local actors, the film brings the everyday, ordinary horror of abuse to life with compassion. Eliciting understanding around the causes of domestic violence was something that needed to be carefully handled – in no way could the campaign be seen to be making excuses for violent behaviour or absolving men of responsibility for their actions.

Gray succeeds in drawing a fine line between abused and abuser with subtlety and without either judging or justifying the behaviour of his protagonists. 

Romance EP Helena Woodfine commented: “With this communication, we want to encourage introspection on what it means to be masculine and help change the narrative of toxic masculinity before someone else gets hurt.”