All I want for Christmas… is to get home safely

Amid the current 16 Days of Activism to tackle gender-based violence, we’ve reimagined Christmas cards to highlight the inappropriate behaviours that fuel women’s fears – as we look to shine a light on the everyday realities for women.

The card designs have been inspired by research that highlights the inappropriate behaviours that intimidate and unsettle women.

And with the shorter days of winter making people more fearful of their surroundings and taking more precautions to stay safe, the cards also highlight the contrast between the bright festivities of Christmas and the fear engendered by longer nights and darker evenings.

The cards have been created in conjunction with AI artist Freya Greenslade and form a limited-edition range, that’s primarily centred on raising awareness, but are also available to buy.

The proceeds from any sales will go to White Ribbon, the UK’s leading charity seeking to end men’s violence against women.

The theme of the card designs has been formed following research that suggests 54% of people have witnessed inappropriate behaviours happening to others. Of these, only 30% said that they’d be willing to verbally intervene, and just 13% said they’d be willing to physically intervene.

The research also looked at where these incidents were most likely to happen, with 60% responding that they’d most expect it ‘on nights out (in bars, pubs, clubs, etc)’, 40% saying ‘on public transport’ and 39% saying ‘walking down the street’.

The study also questioned respondents about the most common behaviours they’ve witnessed, with the most prevalent of those responses forming the basis of the cards.

According to the research, the top reported behaviours that made people feel uncomfortable or intimidated centred on unwanted physical contact (65%), invading personal space (64%) and inappropriate comments (56%). Other behaviours that were found to be intimidating included shouting (54%), staring (49%), swearing (41%) and wolf whistling (30%).

With research from UN Women showing that 97% of women aged 18-24 have been sexually harassed, the initiative sheds light on the insidious nature of gender-based harassment. The cards are a way of exposing the prevalent but often subtle harassment women and minority genders endure. These actions may not always meet the legal definition of criminality, but they perpetuate a culture of fear, intimidation, and discomfort for women in public spaces.

Commenting on the research and the card-based initiative, Mark Balaam, White Ribbon Ambassador, and our CEO and Founder, said: “While Christmas might be all about lights and festivities, the reality is that during the darker months, women’s fears are heightened. With longer nights and people being wrapped up against the cold with their faces obscured, behaviours that are intimidating at the best of times take on a new potency.”

 Mark continued: “The beginning of December coincides with the 16 Days of Activism to end violence against women – so we wanted to add a novel spin to our research that highlights the most intimidating behaviours. The hope is that it will educate others, and encourage people to be more understanding and accommodating of women. Everyone has the right to feel safe – and with the final day of activism coinciding with World Human Rights Day on the 10th December, imabi is working hard to help make that a reality in our societies.”

If you’d like to purchase any of the cards, please click the link below.