Welcome to part two of our May 2021 Inspirational Interview with Pamela Zaballa, Global Executive Director of the NO MORE Foundation. With over 15 years of experience, Pamela has worked to support victims of violence and prevent abuse and assault. Pamela has worked as a researcher and on the frontlines with victims of violence, overseeing court programs and shelter management for leading organisations in the U.S. and U.K. Pamela is now the Global Executive Director for NO MORE and a board member for the Employers Initiative Against Domestic Abuse.
In this part of the interview, Ms. Zaballa talks about NO MORE’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, its future plans, and how they work to engage men and boys in the effort to end violence against women.
Part 1 of this interview was published on 30 May 2021.
Photos courtesy of the NO MORE Foundation.
6. With the Coronavirus pandemic still raging on, the rates of VAW including domestic violence have been surging worldwide. What are some of the strategies that NO MORE has adopted in order to continue helping women and girls during this pandemic?
When the pandemic struck, it became immediately apparent that survivors who were trapped at home with their abusers during lockdown were at an increased risk of harm. NO MORE acted quickly to create new campaigns and resources to heighten awareness of the problem and increase action to address it. The #ListeningFromHome campaign, launched in March 2020, used two powerful PSAs to encourage friends, bystanders, and family to recognise and respond to the signs of domestic violence. We partnered with Lamar to produce hundreds of billboards around the United States, listing resources and helping survivors get help. As lockdowns are lifted around the globe, this remains a critical time for survivors and we will continue to provide tools and resources that help people access lifesaving support.
7. How do you think men and boys can help to end violence against women?
Violence against women is not just a women’s issue and prevention is key to eliminating it from our societies. Men play a critical role in ending domestic and sexual violence. We join many of our partner organisations in focusing on engaging men and boys in prevention efforts by teaching them about healthy masculinity, relationships, and communication. In the coming years, NO MORE is focusing on facilitating conversations between parents, boys, and girls about what it means to be in a respectful and healthy relationship. By engaging men and boys, we can stop violence before it starts.
8. Tell us about NO MORE’s plans for the future. What campaigns, programmes, or projects do you have coming up in the next 5 years?
In the coming years, NO MORE will continue to produce large-scale media campaigns that raise awareness and inspire action to end domestic and sexual violence. We will expand the NO MORE Global Directory of domestic and sexual violence support services, in part by creating a hub for organisations around the world to connect and share information and resources. We will be releasing materials aimed at prevention by producing bilingual conversation guides about consent, boundaries, and relationships for parents and children. We will continue to expand globally, working with our partners in South America, Europe, and the Commonwealth of Nations to create even more NO MORE chapters around the world.
9. How can The Pixel Project’s supporters engage with and support the efforts of NO MORE to stop violence against women?
- Follow NO MORE on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @NOMOREOrg.
- Visit NOMORE.org and NOMOREDirectory.org to learn more about all of our programmes.
- Download the free resources in the NO MORE toolkit, and talk with advocates and local domestic and sexual violence organisations about starting your own NO MORE Chapters!
For more information about any of NO MORE’s activities, email our Communications Manager Laura Peek at Laura@nomore.org.
10. In your considered opinion, how can we end violence against women for good?
I believe that NO MORE’s tagline answers this question well: together. Together, and only together, we can end domestic and sexual violence. This takes effort from individuals, organisations, allies, and leaders in government, business, and religion. NO MORE is moving into the coming years with a renewed commitment to collaboration and partnership.
