Donate a Cell Phone and Save a Life

May 2005 – As new research reveals the shocking extent of domestic violence and abuse in the United States, Americans are being urged to recycle old cell phones to help victims.

The Body Shop -- with the support of celebrities like Grammy winning hip-hop music sensation Missy Elliott -- is urging Americans to bring hope to countless domestic violence victims by spring cleaning with a conscience and recycling the estimated 65 million old cell phones lying around in homes across the US*.

The call comes in response to new research showing almost 157 million Americans – that’s more than half of the adult population (56%) - personally know someone who has suffered at the hands of a violent partner.

The study by The Body Shop – as it announces its 2005 ‘Donate a Phone, Save a Life’ national cell phone collection campaign with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), the Wireless Foundation and Lifetime Television – also reveals the alarming inconsistency between how women think they’d behave if abused by their partner and the reality.

When questioned about how they’d react if physically assaulted for the first time by a current or future partner, more than a third (39%) female adults say they’d leave straight away.

Yet the shocking reality is that a woman suffering domestic violence will attempt to leave her abuser an average of 5 to 7 times before actually doing so. And more than one third (34%) of women across America told researchers for The Body Shop they would be too embarrassed to tell their family and friends if they were being abused by their partner.

The Body Shop ‘Donate a Phone, Save a Life’ campaign urges people across the United States to donate old or unwanted cellular phones at any of 300 plus The Body Shop U.S. retail locations from today through August 31, 2005.

Donated phones will be sold, refurbished or recycled, with proceeds benefiting the NCADV and the Wireless Foundation. Additionally, a number of phones will be distributed to approximately 200 women’s shelters for dissemination to at-risk women who need access to a personal safety system when domestic violence strikes.

"I know from personal experience that this is a great cause that highlights an important and too often ignored issue," said Missy Elliott. "On behalf of The Body Shop, the NCADV and the Wireless Foundation, I urge everyone to dig up their unused wireless phones and bring them to your closest The Body Shop retail store. It is the easiest way to make a huge difference, and you might even save a life."

“Millions of unused cell phones can be the difference between life and death for countless domestic violence victims,” says Joanne Calabrese, President of The Body Shop Americas Region. “As Americans begin to spring clean this season, we urge everyone to dig up those old or unwanted cell phones collecting dust in the back of a drawer or closet and bring them to your nearest The Body Shop. There has never been a simpler way to personally get involved in a public awareness campaign that ultimately can save lives.”

“Because domestic violence is rarely a one-time occurrence, the consequences of staying with an abusive partner can become devastating over time,” says Rita Smith, Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Smith continues, “Vulnerable victims need a better education and must come to understand their abusers’ patterns of behavior, so that they feel empowered to walk away before it is too late. The ‘Donate a Phone, Save a Life’ campaign is helping to raise the much-needed funds to help further the fight against this heinous crime and give a number of victims the promise of an extended lifeline.”

Collecting cell phones can be an individual or collective effort. In fact, Amnesty International has agreed to partner with The Body Shop to lend a hand to this cause. With the goal of collecting 100,000 cell phones between now and the end of summer, the added support of reputable organizations like Amnesty International is invaluable.

The Body Shop is committed to campaigning to Stop Violence in The Home because it wants to make a real difference and impact in the fight against domestic violence. To further demonstrate this commitment, The Body Shop sponsored activities earlier this month in collaboration with Lifetime Television’s 4th Annual “Stop Violence Against Women Week” in Washington DC. The U.S. campaign is also part of a company-wide effort to combat domestic violence – similar cell phone collections are taking place throughout Europe and Asia.

“Programs that enlist communities around the country to help the fight against domestic violence, like the ‘Donate a Phone, Save a Life’ campaign, let victims know there are places they can turn and resources available to help them get out of a violent situation immediately,” said Debbie Thompson, a domestic violence survivor. “When you’re stuck in that kind of situation where you feel like your cry for help isn’t loud enough, it’s good to know that there are people getting the message out for you and that you can get help when you need it.”

KRC Research conducted this nationally representative telephone survey of 1,021 adults aged 18 and over for The Body Shop. The margin of error is +/- 3.1% at the 95% confidence level.

*According to the The Wireless Foundation, there are 170 million wireless subscribers in the U.S., and because of improvements in phone size, battery life and other features, consumers like to get new ones every two or three years. Thus, it is estimated that there are approximately 65 million unused cell phones in the U.S

Visit www.thebodyshop.com for more information.

SOURCE The Body Shop

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