Don’t be fooled by the silence of the streets: Women’s Aid signposts domestic abuse crisis in the lockdown

The escalation of domestic abuse is a sickening consequence of the lockdown: Women’s Aid recorded 41% more users on its live chat site and 27,000 visits to its Covid-19 advice page last week.

Engine Creative and production company Knucklehead have made a film that draws attention to the silence of the nation’s streets, landmarks, and public spaces during self-isolation. The eerie scenes come with the warning: “Domestic abusers are no longer walking among us. They are locked inside with their families.”

As well as social media, the film will also run in The Guardian print and online editions, and on TV via Sky and Eurosport. Media is through Essence, part of GroupM.