YSL Beauty partners AWARE to tackle intimate partner violence in SG

YSL Beauty is expanding its global "Abuse is not love" initiative to Singapore, partnering with AWARE to raise awareness of intimate partner violence (IPV) and educate young people on recognising the early warning signs of abuse.

The programme, first launched globally in 2020, aims to equip individuals with the knowledge and tools to identify abusive behaviours, encourage healthier relationships and promote greater understanding of safe and respectful partnerships. The Singapore launch forms part of YSL Beauty's wider ambition to educate two million people worldwide by 2030.

According to the brand, one in three women globally experience intimate partner violence during their lifetime, making it one of the most widespread social issues worldwide.

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As part of the local rollout, YSL Beauty will provide funding and resources to AWARE, supporting the organisation's work to end violence against women, including sexual and domestic abuse. AWARE will contribute its expertise in IPV while working with the beauty brand on educational initiatives targeted at young people.

The partnership will also see YSL Beauty support AWARE's annual International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW) conference. This year's edition, themed "Strength in solidarity: Uniting communities to end gender-based violence", will bring together policymakers, academics, healthcare professionals, social service practitioners, law enforcement agencies and educators to discuss approaches to tackling gender-based violence.

Beyond the conference, YSL Beauty will back AWARE's "Safe space initiative", which delivers interactive workshops through social service agencies. The sessions will cover topics including consent and boundaries, healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviours, bystander intervention, emotional intelligence and mental wellbeing.

To extend its reach among younger audiences, the beauty brand is also launching a digital-first awareness campaign across social media. The campaign will use creator-led storytelling to spotlight the nine warning signs of abuse, with the aim of encouraging greater awareness and earlier intervention.

“AWARE is proud to partner with YSL Beauty on the Abuse Is Not Love campaign, an important step in deepening conversations about intimate partner violence in Singapore," said Shamima Rafi, senior manager of community engagement at AWARE.

She added, "By joining forces, we can reach more young people with the knowledge they need to recognise unhealthy relationships early and understand that abuse in any form is never love. We hope this partnership will not only raise awareness but also build a collective understanding that everyone has a role to
play in creating safer, more respectful communities." 

The Singapore expansion follows YSL Beauty's rollout of the programme in Malaysia earlier this month. There, the luxury beauty brand partnered with the All Women's Action Society (AWAM) to support efforts addressing intimate partner violence through education, awareness and community partnerships.

As part of the collaboration, YSL Beauty is providing funding and resources to support AWAM's work in promoting gender equality and assisting survivors of gender-based violence.

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