Don't miss the latest stories
‘Museum Of First Time’ Invites You To Walk In A Domestic Abuse Victim’s Shoes
By Mikelle Leow, 10 Dec 2021
Subscribe to newsletter
Like us on Facebook
Screenshot via Museum of First Time
Domestic abuse is on the rise as those dealing with it are made to share their space with their attackers for prolonged periods of time. To spread the word about domestic violence and its early signs, the Women and Men Progressive Foundation enlisted creative agency Wunderman Thompson Thailand to create a campaign suited for a time when being vocal isn’t all that possible, what with outdoor rallies and events being restricted.
The agency envisioned a 360° virtual-reality museum, entitled the Museum of First Time, that lets anyone step into the life of a victim called ‘Air’ to convey that the first time of abuse is enough. The experience was launched with Electrolux and Thai Health Promotion to coincide with the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25.
‘Air’, a pseudonym, is a real survivor of domestic abuse and this is her story.
Chanikarn Sitthiaree, creative group head at Wunderman Thompson Thailand, told Little Black Book that the woman was interviewed about her personal experience. She also shared photos of her previous house, which was replicated by the team—they found a similar location, decorated it, and shot the place with a 360° camera. Handwritten notes located around the virtual home evoke the woman’s own penmanship from her breakup letter.
Screenshot via Museum of First Time
Screenshot via Museum of First Time
“We developed this virtual museum together with [the victim] because we believe that a real story has a power to convince anyone who is a victim of violence to raise their hand so we could help,” Sitthiaree said.
Like several abusive relationships at the beginning, there’s little way of knowing the kind of person this partner of ‘Air’ would become. There are many firsts, mostly happy ones, and the woman finds herself swept up by this romance.
Click to view enlarged version
Click to view enlarged version. Screenshot via Museum of First Time
The two are immersed in each other’s presence, and they decide to live together pretty quickly.
Slowly, the cracks begin to appear. He thinks she’s having an affair and takes it out on her. There’s a first time for that, and it snowballs into a second, third, fourth.
Click to view enlarged version
Click to view enlarged version. Screenshot via Museum of First Time
He comes back a sweeter person, as if having amnesia from the day before. She, too, forgets, admitting to having a soft spot for him. But as the hitting gets worse, there’s no more ignoring the fact that she needs to get out.
‘Air’ is one of the fortunate women who could escape their abusers in time. According to statistics by the Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation, observing 71 cases, 100% of domestic abuse incidents are repeated after the first time.
Even more startlingly, in a study of nearly 2,000 people in Bangkok, aged 20 and up, it was learned that 53.1% of women have had experienced verbal violence and 20% of them have been the victims of physical violence.
Screenshot via Museum of First Time
“Once is enough” is what the campaign’s creators wish to reinforce, and the hope is that sufferers make that their last time.
Sitthiaree said that when the project was shown to ‘Air’, the woman broke down “as it felt like the project was bringing her back to those days of abuse.”
“However, it was important to show everyone the severity of domestic abuse, thus we had to push through emotionally,” Sitthiaree added.
Response to the virtual museum has been “phenomenal,” said Sitthiaree. The experience has been widely discussed by the press and members of the public. “Most importantly, many victims started posting about their own story,” Sitthiaree shared. “The campaign has seen a lot of movement.”
อยากให้ทุกคนไปดูอันนี้ เป็นพิพิธภัณฑ์ของเหยื่อความรุนแรง ทำดีมากๆ
— ค่อนคลุง (@iconnnz) November 26, 2021
👉🏻 https://t.co/H4c4A896r8 pic.twitter.com/iRPblU1QRd
To explore the virtual museum, visit here. Please note that the content can be highly distressing for some viewers as it heavily explores stages of domestic violence.
If you or a loved one are in a similar situation, please do not hesitate to talk to someone. Wherever you live, there are helplines you can confidentially reach for assistance. The number to talk to an expert at the Women and Men Progressive Foundation in Thailand is 02-513-2889, and US residents can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. More international resources can be found here.
[via Little Black Book, screenshots via Museum of First Time]
Receive interesting stories like this one in your inbox
Also check out these recent news