Intimate Partner Violence Awareness for Canadian Veterans
Explainer Animations on Intimate Partner Violence for a Canadian Veterans mental health organization
We created two explainer animations on intimate partner violence (IPV) for Atlas Institute for Veterans and their Families. Research shows IPV is particularly common among military and Veteran communities.
Incorporating feedback from Veterans who experienced IPV, we took care to illustrate the sensitive nature of the topic without being triggering or explicit. Through visual metaphors and simplified, inclusive character design, we conveyed the severity of the issue in a striking and engaging manner.
Atlas Institute for Veterans and their Families is a nonprofit dedicated to sharing mental health knowledge, and these animations published on their website as part of their IPV Knowledge Hub.
-
-
Natividad Chen - Art Director & Animator
Sarah Crawley - Illustrator & Animator
Charlene Biron - Illustrator -
Veterans and their Families, including Veterans experiencing intimate partner violence
Our Approach
Inclusive Character Design
In the overview video, the abuser is a faceless figure so the audience focuses on the woman protagonist.
In the misconceptions video, we illustrate a diverse cast of characters and relationships, inclusive of age, ethnicity, physical ability and sexual orientation.
Visual Metaphors
We use visual metaphors to convey the severity of IPV without explicitly showing violence. Stalking is represented by staring disembodied eyeballs. The burden of IPV is shown with boxes weighing down the woman. Shadowy hand shapes overlaying the woman’s torso illustrate sexual violence. Alongside these metaphors, the protagonist's facial expressions convey the impacts of IPV in a sensitive but striking manner.
