Donate a Phone, Save a Life National Cell Phone Collection Campaign

This private-sector campaign uses information and communication technologies (ICTs) to educate and motivate the public to donate their used cellular telephones to support communication-centred programming on domestic violence issues, as well as to provide a concrete emergency communication tool to women who are experiencing domestic conflict. Specifically, "About 75% of the wireless phones collected are refurbished and sold through ReCellular, a leading remanufacturer of wireless equipment. Proceeds from the sale of phones help fund the NCADV [National Coalition Against Domestic Violence]'s work in the campaign to end domestic violence and are also used to support the educational efforts of the Wireless Foundation. Other phones are refurbished and become lifelines for domestic violence victims when faced with an emergency situation." In addition, nearly 1,500 wireless phones will be donated to the Body Shop's domestic violence shelter partners, who will distribute the wireless phones to women who are experiencing domestic violence.

The Body Shop website is a means for informing and moving consumers to action. A campaigners' Collection Kit, featuring downloadable PDF files, includes tips for beginning a collection programme within one's community. It is supplemented by various web- and telephone-based resources (e.g., the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE) as well as strategies for "speaking out on domestic violence" and helping a friend (or yourself).

In conjunction with the awareness campaign "Our Lifetime Commitment: Stop Violence Against Women", LIFETIME Television aired a weekly Friday night public service announcement (PSA) from December 26 2004 through March 2 2005 that encouraged viewers to donate their phones. During this time, LIFETIME broadcast additional PSAs about the campaign following specially themed programming. The network also publicised the collection online, on LIFETIME Radio, and through its newsletters.

Domestic Violence, Women.

The Body Shop cites studies indicating that, in the United States:

• 92% of domestic violence victims are female
• 1 in 4 women reports being physically assaulted and/or raped by a current or former spouse, cohabiting partner or date at some time in their lifetime
• A woman is beaten every 15 seconds
• Domestic violence occurs in 25 - 33% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender relationships, the same rate for heterosexual relationships
• 1 in 5 female high school students reports being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner
• Studies show that child abuse occurs in 30-60% of family violence cases that involve families with children
• A child's exposure to the father abusing the mother is the strongest risk factor for transmitting violent behaviour from one generation to the next.

A sense of corporate social responsibility is a key motivator for Body Shop Founder Dame Anita Roddick, who believes that "Businesses have the power to do good. That's why The Body Shop's Mission Statement opens with the overriding commitment, 'To dedicate our business to the pursuit of social and environmental change.' We use our stores and our products to help communicate human rights and environmental issues."

Wireless phones may be dropped off at any of 300 or more Body Shop stores in the USA through August 31 2005; activists are encouraged to start their own collection with the online Collection Kit.

This campaign intersects with the Wireless Foundation's The CALL to PROTECT campaign, which collects wireless phones to benefit victims of domestic violence. To find out if there is a participating organisation in your community, please contact your local shelter or police agency directly. If you are a domestic violence shelter administrator and would like to request donated phones, please click here or call 1-888-901-SAFE. Phones that cannot be refurbished are recycled; working with partner ReCellular, the CALL to PROTECT programme maintains a zero landfill policy. To date, the CALL to PROTECT and Donate A Phone programmes have reportedly kept more than 1,000 tons of electronics out of landfills.