MANILA, PHILIPPINES — When “Flora” got married, all she knew was that she wanted a happy family. Later on she would realize this dream came at a cost: blows and bruises at the hands of her husband.
According to the 2022 Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey, 52.4% of women like Flora do not seek help after experiencing domestic violence. This “culture of silence” is often caused by shame and a fear of repercussions. The one in three women who do come forward with their stories are often painted as victims in the media, their faces pixelated and shadowed to conceal their identities. Hidden in these shadows, there is a danger of their stories being reduced to mere statistics or news items.
When it comes to retelling accounts of abuse, anonymity is important to protect those involved. Still, there is power when a real person tells their story, as it points to the fact that domestic abuse is real and victims are not alone in their fight. The Foundation for Media Alternatives, with the help of Dentsu Creative Manila, found a way to reconcile those two aspects with the help of generative AI.
View the Face of Courage videos on FMA’s TikTok Channel.
FMA is a non-government organization committed to ending violence against women in the digital realm. Lisa Garcia, Executive Director, shared her sentiments on the project: “If AI can protect the victim’s identity all the while lending a human face to a real problem, this may empower more victims to come forward with their stories and urge people to listen. FMA is grateful to see this happen with this project and to be joined by other groups in pushing the advocacy to end online gender-based violence.”
In collaboration with production partner Creative Fitting, the first Filipina avatar that would help fight domestic abuse was created through generative AI. “She” was made to look like an everyday Filipina to be the face and voice of survivors who wanted to share their stories. Her footage was combined with a real voice track that retold first-person accounts. After bringing these stories to life, the avatar encouraged viewers to get help for themselves or others.
FMA’s Face of Courage campaign was launched on TikTok on May 18, 2024, where it could be seen by 49.9 million users in the Philippines. “Flora’s” story and the stories of other brave women were featured in videos posted on FMA’s TikTok channel. Each video led to an online directory of support partners –from law enforcement to counseling and legal assistance NGOs.
For FMA, Face of Courage signaled a change in how stories like Flora’s could be told. Dentsu Creative Manila’s Creative Director, Nonie Tobias-Azores, noted, “AI is still a highly contentious subject, but with this campaign, we proved that using generative A.I. to harness technology for good is possible.” Truly, the campaign’s greatest achievement was to capitalize on AI’s anonymity–and use it to protect and represent those who needed it most.
If you or anyone you know has experienced any kind of abuse, seek help. Visit here to get the support you need.
