Luma unveils ‘Her Board’ via VML to help women in Australia experiencing domestic violence

One woman loses her life to domestic violence every week in Australia, and 1 in 4 faces abuse from their intimate partner. To help address this unacceptable statistic Luma, a leading not-for-profit organization in Australia dedicated to women’s health and wellbeing, has launched a new sponsorship based fundraising initiative, ‘HER Board’ via VML Perth. The initiative is primarily designed to encourage support and empower women facing domestic violence.

A $99 per month donation over a 12 month ‘board’ term invites individuals or corporate members to empower a woman to change her situation. Donations go towards essential services such as relocation, counselling, transport, legal aid, security, healthcare, employment assistance, and childcare. HER Board offers women choices, with those supported deciding which services they want to utilize with donations received, giving the power of choice, and surrounding women with the support they need.

Says Felicite Black, CEO at Luma: “HER Board was created for women to start to give them power back, and break the victim-and-saviour approach to family and domestic violence funding that only operates in crisis. With decades of experience working with women, Luma are well placed to provide the wrap-around services required to avoid tragedy and trauma.

“A woman experiencing domestic violence loses her connections, voice, confidence and strength. Bit by bit, she loses her power. To move on, she needs to find that power again and HER Board is an essential service that will help in giving her power back.”

Says Melanie Wiese, deputy chair, Luma: “We styled this effort up as a Board to generate attention and support from the professional sector, focusing on LinkedIn as a fundraising channel. We’re appealing to executives in Australia to sponsor a woman through fixed-term tenure funding, with all an individual board members’ funds flowing to one woman. We hope our members proudly share our progress and nominate their network to join.”

The film assets created to support the launch were shot by a predominantly female team, brought together and led by Perth director Melle Branson.

“When I read these harrowing and uncomfortably real scripts, they resonated in ways that were confronting to face as a survivor of abuse. Yet, I know that mine is not an uncommon experience, so I was all in, in supporting the HER Board initiative. My priority was to build a predominantly female identifying crew for this project, because I firmly believe that women should be telling women’s stories. Everyone involved in this project brought their absolute best in executing this poignant idea – from the highly nuanced sets, meticulous sound design, restrained music composition and the compelling voice performance.”

The website, online video and other media touch points all launch during Domestic Violence Prevention Month. HER Board is already making waves in Australia, gaining support from influential female leaders like Rose Herceg, Katie Rigg-Smith, HER Board is committed to helping even more women in need throughout 2024 and beyond.

Client – Luma
CEO – Felicite Black
Chief Operating Officer – Huyen Tran
Executive Manager Finance & Contract Management – Sofia Erhard
Brand & Marketing Officer – Sarah Allen
Fundraising & Events Specialist – Georgina Westgarth

Agency – VML Perth
Chief Strategy Officer – Melanie Wiese
Account Manager – Emily Hooper
National Executive Creative Director – Stu Turner
Creative Lead – Paula Keamy
Creative Lead – Tim Newton
Creative – Brendan Morrow
Creative – Meg Watson
Design Director – Melissa Radman
Designer – Jade Koch
Head of Creative Technology – Travis Weerts
Experience Strategist – Katie Dunn
UX Designer – Jessica Murray
Account Director – Eleanor Henry

Director/Producer: Melle Branson
DOP: Tim Fitzgerald
1AD: Charmaine Murray
1AC: Apurva Gupta
2AC: Isabella De Marte Gaffer: Jocelyn Richards
Key Grip: Carmel Fox Grip: Clint Lawrence
Art Dept Assist: Bailey Day
Art Dept Assist: Chantelle Lucas
Photographer: Natasja Kremers
Post Production: Manimal Post
Offline Edit & Grade: Denzil Heeger
Online: Ryan Brett
Post Producer: Hannah Byrnand
Post Sound Studio: Cue Sound
Sound Design & Mix: Lucy Torvaldsen
Sound Producer: Anika Fourie
Composition: Olivia Davies
VO: Portia Rose
Camera Equipment: Raz Studios