Organisations involved
Breakthrough
Summary
The Bell Bajao! (“ring the bell”) Campaign (2008-current) is a mass media campaign launched to encourage men and boys to take action when they suspected a domestic violence situation. The campaign aims to increase knowledge about and community norms around domestic violence and HIV-positive women. Bell Bajao! began in India and has since been scaled-up and adapted to Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, and South Africa.
Social norms of interest
Social acceptability of gender-based violence (GBV), social acceptability of gender inequality, stigma and discrimination around HIV/AIDS, female power and autonomy
Behaviours of interest
GBV and intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes, safe sex, couple decision-making
Project components
The Bell Bajao! campaign was launched on a simple premise – encouraging men and boys to take action when they suspected a domestic violence situation by ringing the doorbell. The intervention involves a mass media strategy with wide a range of communication tools: Interactive website and online presence on popular platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube); television, radio, print ads of public service announcements (PSAs) inspired by true stories; video vans that allowed for communication b/w activists and communities; and celebrity support to reach over 130 million people. PSAs centred around breaking the cycle of violence. While the intervention reaches entire communities, it focuses its messages and changing behavior in men.
Social norms measurement
Social norms were assessed using in-depth interviews (IDI), baseline and endline surveys
Key findings to date
The campaign led to community-level acceptance that violence is wrong, highlighted the need to counsel GBV perpetrators, and increased demand for redress services, knowledge of domestic violence and its different types, acceptance of community intervention in the case of domestic violence, and reduced shame for women seeking legal recourse.
