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Salvation Army Turns #TheDress Into a Domestic Violence PSA

 
 

The debate that divided the world is now being used a powerful campaign to raise public awareness around domestic violence.

Salvation Army’s South African chapter took #The Dress, which pitted millions of people against each other in camps seeing white and gold or black and blue, and asked on Twitter: “Why is it so hard to see black and blue?” Along with an image of a woman wearing the fabled white and gold version of the dress covered in cuts and black and blue bruises, it states: “The only illusion is if you think it was her choice. One in 6 women are victims of abuse. Stop abuse against women.”

Dressgate received criticism for captivating the world’s attention so intently with bigger issues — wars, poverty, etc. — but this advertisement for the charity’s #StopAbuseAgainstWomen effort seems to take the foolishness out of the original situation and turn it into a powerful (non fashion) statement.

The tweet, which was posted on Friday morning, has already received positive feedback for appropriating the viral phenomenon for good. Many called it “brilliant,” “powerful,” and a smart way to leverage social media. “The best hijacking of online culture I’ve seen recently,” Andrew Blakeley wrote.Jonathan Blades added, “The Salvation Army taking the silliness of #TheDress to make a powerful point. that is how you jump on the bandwagon.”

While the argument over whether the dress was white and gold or black and blue ended — it was black and blue for those that haven’t turned on a TV or logged onto the Internet in a week — one more thing’s for sure: Domestic violence is a serious issue that deserves #thedress as its face.