YSL Beauty Has Launched a New Initiative to Help End Violence Against Women
Today is the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women, and Yves Saint Laurent Beauty just launched a new global program to push the movement forward.
In partnership with It’s On Us, a non-profit organization founded by the Obama administration in 2014, YSL Beauty has created Abuse is Not Love, an initiative that aims to combat intimate partner violence through research and education.
“Intimate partner violence hinders the safety, wellbeing and independence of women,” YSL Beauty’s international general manager Stephan Bezy said in a statement. “It therefore felt very natural to work on an issue that stood in opposition to our core values and beliefs.”
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According to YSL Beauty, 600 million women are living in a country where intimate partner violence is not considered a crime. So they created this program in the hope of instilling widespread global change through the use of academic research, funding education, and training YSL employees to recognize violence in the workplace.
Their goal is to educate two million people around the world on the subject by 2030. So in addition to It’s On Us in the U.S., YSL Beauty has also partnered with Women’s Aid in the U.K. and En Avant Toute(s) in France to globalize the initiative.
“The data on this topic is clear: IPV is a dangerous issue that affects women (and men) in all facets of their lives, including the workplace, and I believe that YSL Beauty’s efforts will help bring important resources and awareness to those in need,” said Dr. Beth Livingston, a gender and diversity academic and researcher for the YSL Beauty Abuse is Not Love program.
YSL Beauty's celebrity ambassadors have also rallied in support of the new program. "This is an issue that deserves attention and it is time to take action. I am proud to support my YSL Beauty family in this important initiative," said Grammy-nominated singer Dua Lipa.
Another YSL ambassador, actress Zoë Kravitz, echoed that sentiment, sharing that she looks forward to working on this project. "Abuse is Not Love is a much-needed initiative that is true to the spirit of Yves Saint Laurent, who supported women’s freedom and equality," said Kravitz.
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This year, the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women is even more important because COVID-19, and the subsequent lockdowns, have created a spike in domestic violence around the world. And unfortunately, many of victims of domestic violence have been quarantined with their abuser with nowhere to seek help or refuge.
So how can you help? For starters, it’s important to support businesses like YSL Beauty who have joined in the fight to end violence against women. You can also donate to non-profits like It’s On Us, which, in addition to their work, offer online resources to easily educate yourself on the matter as well.
If you or someone you know is in danger, please call the National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit https://hotline.rainn.org/online.
