A Women’s Aid anti-domestic violence advert starring Keira Knightley and helmed by Atonement director Joe Wright has been banned after being deemed too shocking. In the clip, Keira is shown returning home from work to be accused of having an affair by her boyfriend before being assaulted. However, the body that censors adverts, Clearcast, has decided the promo is too violent and can’t be aired until scenes are removed. “We were very careful to reflect what we had heard from anecdotal evidence,” Lucy Brown from Women's Aid told the Daily Telegraph. “We have put this forward to Clearcast, with statistics from the Home Office, and other material. However, Clearcast, the body that censors adverts for Ofcom, has ruled that the promo cannot be aired unless the violent scenes are removed.” Grey London Advertising agency, who created the clip, have insisted the clip can be a success despite the ban. "Part of the campaign is to raise awareness about domestic violence, and spark debate,” spokesman Chris Hirst said. “Which the advert has done, even if it doesn't make it on television."
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Here’s the ad, what do you think?
