In this campaign, there are literally no excuses for abuse

'No excuse for abuse', a campaign for Australian non-profit Our Watch by Thinkerbell, lives up to its title by literally silencing people who try to make excuses for abusive behaviour.

It's ingenious. The moment the people—both perpetrators and victims—try to explain away a controlling, dehumanising behaviour, their voices become inaudible and their subtitles become illegible. The viewer, of course, tries to mentally fill in the muted/obscured words, only to realise that nothing the person could possibly say would actually justify the behaviour. And there you go: In just a few seconds you're not only more aware of non-physical abuse than you might have been, but also more primed to object to it if you see someone engaging in it, or tolerating it.  

(This article first appeared on CampaignAsia.com)