NFL Players Display Raw Emotion in New, Unscripted NO MORE PSAs on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

PREVIEW OF PSA SERIES TO AIR THANKSGIVING DAY

Mariska Hargitay, Tate Donovan and Blair Underwood direct “Speechless” NO MORE PSAs

WHAT:  On Thanksgiving Day, a preview of a new series of NO MORE PSAs will air during NFL broadcasts featuring current and former NFL players who are so moved by the content of the shoot that they are rendered speechless. Entitled “Speechless” the newest domestic violence and sexual assault PSA series from the NO MORE movement, is a raw, unscripted and powerful video collection featuring more than a dozen athletes and celebrities. The spots are stark and spare both visually and in terms of the use of only ambient sound. This Thursday’s preview with NFL players heralds the release of the full series of “Speechless” PSAs, on Dec. 4, 2014.

“Speechless” was not written. Rather the content was an unexpected byproduct of the other scripts previously aired. It was designed to shed light on how difficult it is for all of us to talk about domestic violence and sexual assault which remain taboo, hidden and painful subjects. These spots reveal the depth to which we are all affected by these previously unspeakable issues. They urge viewers to start a conversation about domestic and sexual violence with friends and loved ones.

The NFL players who participated did so not only as athletes, but as concerned fathers, brothers and men. They have joined the NO MORE movement to call attention to these urgent issues in a new way. Several had personal experiences with the issues, including former New York Jets running back Curtis Martin, Indianapolis Colts tight end Dwayne Allen and Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback William Gay whose mother was killed by an abusive partner.

NO MORE is a public awareness and bystander engagement movement around domestic violence and sexual assault, and is comprised of hundreds of national and local groups that are working to address these issues in the United States.

The NO MORE PSAs are the result of an unprecedented collaboration of celebrities, athletes, corporations, foundations and service providers who have donated their resources to bring these hidden issues into the public eye in a way that has never been done before. They were developed pro bono by Rachel Howald at the global ad agency Y&R (Young & Rubicam), produced by the Joyful Heart Foundation; Viacom’s social responsibility umbrella Viacommunity and Viacom Velocity; directed by Joyful Heart Foundation founder Mariska Hargitay, actors Tate Donovan and Blair Underwood; and photographed by renowned celebrity photographer Timothy White. 

Since October 23^rd, NO MORE PSAs featuring NFL players have been airing each week during NFL broadcasts reaching more than 26.5 million people to date.

For more information about NO MORE visit www.nomore.org. 

WHY: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 3 women 1 in 4 men in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence, and stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Twenty four people every minute - more than 12 million women and men - are victims of physical violence, rape and stalking from their partners in one year.

The 2013 “NO MORE Study,” commissioned by the Avon Foundation for Women reveals that despite the vast numbers impacted by these crimes, people are not talking about them. Three out of four (73%) parents have not had a conversation about domestic violence or sexual assault with their children.  

Simply starting a conversation about these issues can help – as 64% of Americans say if we talk more about domestic violence and sexual assault, it would make it easier to help someone.

NO MORE is helping to get the conversation started.  

WHEN:     November 27, 2014

WHO:       “NFL players Speechless NO MORE” PSAs feature:

• Alfred Morris
• Cris Carter
• Curtis Martin
• Dwayne Allen
• Dwight Hollier
• Eli Manning 
• John Lynch
• Lavar Arrington
• Mark Herzlich 
• William Gay

CONTACT:    Kate Hunte, 251-406-0920, kate@finnpartners.com

About NO MORE:

NO MORE is a public awareness and engagement campaign focused on ending domestic violence and sexual assault. Using its signature blue symbol to increase visibility and foster greater dialogue, NO MORE seeks to break social stigma, normalize the conversation around domestic violence and sexual assault, and increase resources to address these urgent issues. NO MORE is aligned with hundreds of organizations working at the local, state and national levels on prevention, advocacy, and services for survivors. To find out how you can get involved, visit www.nomore.org. Or for regular updates, follow NO MORE on Twitter @NOMOREorg or Facebook www.facebook.com/NOMORE.org.

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The mission of the Joyful Heart Foundation is to heal, educate and empower survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse, and to shed light into the darkness that surrounds these issues.