Innova DDB Ghana Launches ‘Call Them Out’ Campaign

Joel Nettey speaking at the launch

 

Innova DDB Ghana, in partnership with Family Renaissance International (FRI) and 3Music TV unveiled the ‘Call Them Out’ campaign, an initiative designed to confront the hidden crisis of familial sexual abuse and the culture of silence that often surrounds it.

The campaign was launched at the Accra High School to coincide with the International Day of the Child, which promotes children’s rights and global action for their well-being.

For too long, families have chosen to remain silent when abuse is perpetrated by relatives or close family friends, prioritising the protection of the family name over the safety and dignity of victims. The campaign challenges these social norms and calls on society to speak up rather than placing the burden solely on victims.

To mark the opening of the event, CEO of the Ninani Group, Joel Nettey, set the tone for the event, capturing the essence of the Call Them Out campaign – “Familial sexual abuse is not new to us, it’s been with us for a long time – the only problem is we don’t speak about it in Ghana.  It’s time for somebody to call them out. Innova DDB is using our inherent tool of marketing communications expertise to change behaviour to do good. Call Them Out seeks to end this practice by encouraging families and communities to speak openly, protect survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable.”

The launch brought together experts from the field of psychology, family life counselling, and advocacy on an interactive panel to share insights on the topic, addressing the urgent need for wide-scale awareness, prevention, reporting and support systems for young people affected by abuse.

Founding President of FRI, Catherine Onwioduokit, commended the campaign as vital to the transition to a culture of accountability and protection. “The ‘shh shh’ – don’t talk about it, is the one ruining families. There are some things to be quiet about, and there are some things to talk about – abuse is certainly something you talk about. Don’t feel too intimidated to talk about it.”

She further highlighted how the proliferation of social media has enabled the conversations to stay up and remain relevant. “Conversations are sparking up. We have people online calling out abusers, and it is an indication that we are transitioning from a culture of silence to a culture of accountability, responsibility and protection.”

The panel also discussed the culture of stigmatisation and punishment, which is a major barrier preventing victims and their families from seeking help due to the negative labels that may be associated with them.

They consequently urged students to be each other’s keepers and be individual champions who will lead a new generation of protection, accountability, and advocacy.

Their insights highlighted the devastating impact of silence and the transformative power of speaking out – Call Them Out is more than a campaign, it is a movement to restore dignity, protect the vulnerable, and reshape cultural norms.

Creative Director of Innova DDB, Audrey Quaye, emphasised that the Call Them Out campaign goes beyond just events. It also includes measures to support victims by offering phone call pathways on the Call Them Out landing page, access to educational downloadable resources, and a team of qualified experts, counsellors, and professionals available to assist victims in accessing help. The campaign will also be amplified through the official hashtag #CallThemOut across digital platforms.

Head of Brands and Marketing (3Music TV), Cyril Gockel, acknowledged the importance of Call Them Out, saying, “3Music TV is happy to be the media partner of this transformative project, and we are excited to use our channels to help amplify the message, especially in a period where conversations on sexual abuse and body autonomy are the order of the day.”

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Kenneth Hammond, the COO of Innova DDB, celebrated the launch of Call Them Out as a promise to usher change.

He further challenged everyone to be an advocate for the message, “as we leave here today, let us be ambassadors of this initiative, keep advocating, keep supporting, and keep pushing for the change we want to see.”

 

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