YSL Beauty Malaysia turns the spotlight on the warning signs of abuse

YSL Beauty is bringing its global "Abuse is not love" programme to Malaysia, expanding the initiative to support efforts addressing intimate partner violence (IPV) through education, awareness and partnerships with local organisations.

The luxury beauty brand has partnered with the All Women's Action Society (AWAM), one of Malaysia's leading advocacy organisations promoting gender equality and supporting survivors of gender-based violence. As part of the collaboration, YSL Beauty will provide funding and resources to support AWAM's work.

According to YSL Beauty, one in three women globally will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Since launching the "Abuse is not love" programme in 2020, the brand said it has focused on educating young people about the early warning signs of abuse while supporting grassroots organisations around the world. The Malaysia expansion forms part of its broader goal of educating two million people globally by 2030.

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To mark the local launch, YSL Beauty Malaysia is taking the conversation to younger audiences through a dedicated series on Maggy Wang's Head over heels podcast. The series will feature discussions on modern relationships, emotional wellbeing and intimate partner violence with content creators and experts.

Guests include actress Nia Atasha, creator Saffron Sharpe and AWAM services officer Zaireen Nasir Khan, who will share personal experiences and professional insights into recognising the warning signs of abuse and supporting survivors.

Beyond the podcast, YSL Beauty said it is strengthening its regional commitment across Malaysia and Singapore by equipping employees, consumers and communities with knowledge about the nine warning signs of abuse. This comes in the form of a campaign microsite that elaborates on the nine warning signs and a link to take a 15-minute-long online training to learn the signs of abusive behaviour. 

The Malaysia expansion builds on YSL Beauty's broader global efforts. For International Women's Day 2025, the brand launched its global "Don't call it love" campaign, which challenged audiences to recognise the often-overlooked warning signs of abusive relationships. 

The nearly two-minute film initially portrayed what appeared to be a happy couple before replaying key moments to reveal behaviours such as manipulation, stalking, isolation and intrusion that had been hidden in plain sight.

Through the campaign, YSL Beauty sought to highlight how toxic behaviours are often romanticised or normalised, reinforcing the message that abuse can take many forms, including physical, sexual, psychological and financial abuse. 

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