The Verizon Foundation launches a new campaign called “Your Voice Counts” to engage men and women to speak out against domestic violence in their communities.

Verizon has been at the forefront of ending domestic violence for more than a decade. The Verizon Foundation launched a new domestic violence awareness campaign in partnership with NFL sportscaster James Brown, A CALL TO MEN, Mariska Hargitay's Joyful Heart Foundation and NO MORE. This new campaign encourages everyone, especially men, to start speaking up against domestic violence. It’s called Your Voice Counts.

In a series of public service announcements, James Brown speaks with male and female survivors of domestic violence who share their compelling testimonies, emphasizing the important role men play in preventing domestic violence and encouraging viewers to speak up and take action about this critical issue. The foundation also worked with experts at A CALL TO MEN and Joyful Heart Foundation to create an Action Guide that outlines five simple ways to get involved – including tips on how to start the conversation and what to do if domestic violence is suspected. The Action Guide and its resources were developed to help men, women and communities to start talking about domestic violence and bring this often silent issue out into the open. Visit www.verizonfoundation.org/yourvoicecounts to learn more.

Despite the pervasiveness of domestic violence, it remains a widely hidden problem in our society, predominantly viewed as a women’s issue. Yet it is one of the most critical public health issues, resulting in serious, long-term health impacts and devastating effects on women, children and families. Though women and children represent the majority of victims of domestic violence, men are affected as well—as victims, as perpetrators and as witnesses and bystanders. Engaging men is an important part of the movement to address, prevent and—one day—end domestic violence.