Women against Violence against Women

Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW), a feminist activist organization, was founded in 1976 in Los Angeles by anti-pornography activist Marcia Womongold. The Los Angeles chapter of WAVAW was formed out of an ad hoc coalition of feminist groups who joined forces to protest a film called "Snuff" and the advertising campaign for the Rolling Stones album, "Black and Blue." WAVAW first began as a reaction to the Los Angeles debut of "Snuff" in March of 1976. This film was advertised as having been made in South America where "life is cheap" and claimed to show the actual murder and dismemberment of a woman. In Southern California this film opened in 22 theatres in Los Angeles and Orange County, including the Mann Theaters. Due to WAVAW protest over the ad and the film, "Snuff" was withdrawn from circulation in the entire Southern California area one week after it opened. In June of 1976, Atlantic Records-a Warner Communications, Inc. (WCI) subsidiary-put up a billboard on Hollywood's Sunset Strip to advertise the Rolling Stones' album "Black and Blue." It depicted a beaten, bound young woman saying, "I'm 'Black and Blue' from the Rolling Stones and I love it!" WAVAW in cooperation with the California state chapter of the National Coalition for Women (NOW) protested, and the sign was subsequently removed during the night before the group held its press conference beneath the billboard on Sunset Boulevard and picketed at the site. In response to pressure from WAVAW, Atlantic Records scaled back its "Black and Blue" advertising campaign but did not eliminate it. WAVAW's campaign to stop the use of images of violence against women as an advertising campaign began. When Warner, Elektra and Atlantic Records--subsidiaries of Warner Communications, Inc.--failed to reply to demands that they cease and desist in the use of images of violence against women, and sex-violence, as an advertising gimmick, WAVAW, in coalition with California state chapter of the National Coalition for Women (NOW) called a boycott of all WEA labels (Warner Bros., Reprise, Elektra, Asylum, Nonesuch, Atlantic and Atco) in December 1976. The WCI boycott generated letters from thousands of individuals and organizations such as NOW chapters, YWCA's, and rape crisis hotlines demanding that WCI companies institute a responsible advertising policy. The letter-writing campaign developed as a follow-up to WAVAW's slide show, a presentation of offensive album covers that had been shown to hundreds of women's groups, schools, universities and community organizations across the country. In 1979, after three years of national protesting, presenting community slide shows, letter-writing, phone-calling, attending shareholders' meetings, leafletting and boycotting, WAVAW secured a policy from Warner Communications, Inc. stating they had agreed to cease and desist with the use of images of violence against women and sex-violence as an advertising gimmick. As a result of the agreement, WAVAW and California NOW ended a three year boycott of WCI Records. On November 8, 1979, WAVAW and WCI made joint statements to the press at dual news conferences in New York and Los Angeles announcing that an agreement had been reached. The agreement announced on November 8, 1979, was presented to the public in the form of a joint press statement, which was negotiated by representatives from WAVAW's national coordinating committee and from the office of David H. Horowitz who is in charge of WCI's record division. Subsequently, the Los Angeles chapter of WAVAW turned to local projects involving protests against films and campaigns against advertising including the United Artists film Windows in November/December 1980 and Playboy's First Amendment Awards in 1982.

From the description of Collection, 1964-1994. (University of California, Los Angeles). WorldCat record id: 709623809

Biography

Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW), a feminist activist organization, was founded in 1976 in Los Angeles by anti-pornography activist Marcia Womongold. The Los Angeles chapter of WAVAW was formed out of an ad hoc coalition of feminist groups who joined forces to protest a film called "Snuff" and the advertising campaign for the Rolling Stones album, "Black and Blue."

WAVAW first began as a reaction to the Los Angeles debut of "Snuff" in March of 1976. This film was advertised as having been made in South America where "life is cheap" and claimed to show the actual murder and dismemberment of a woman. In Southern California this film opened in 22 theatres in Los Angeles and Orange County, including the Mann Theaters. Due to WAVAW protest over the ad and the film, "Snuff" was withdrawn from circulation in the entire Southern California area one week after it opened.

In June of 1976, Atlantic Records-a Warner Communications, Inc. (WCI) subsidiary-put up a billboard on Hollywood's Sunset Strip to advertise the Rolling Stones' album "Black and Blue." It depicted a beaten, bound young woman saying, "I'm 'Black and Blue' from the Rolling Stones and I love it!" WAVAW in cooperation with the California state chapter of the National Coalition for Women (NOW) protested, and the sign was subsequently removed during the night before the group held its press conference beneath the billboard on Sunset Boulevard and picketed at the site.

In response to pressure from WAVAW, Atlantic Records scaled back its "Black and Blue" advertising campaign but did not eliminate it. WAVAW's campaign to stop the use of images of violence against women as an advertising campaign began. When Warner, Elektra and Atlantic Records--subsidiaries of Warner Communications, Inc.--failed to reply to demands that they cease and desist in the use of images of violence against women, and sex-violence, as an advertising gimmick, WAVAW, in coalition with California state chapter of the National Coalition for Women (NOW) called a boycott of all WEA labels (Warner Bros., Reprise, Elektra, Asylum, Nonesuch, Atlantic and Atco) in December 1976. The WCI boycott generated letters from thousands of individuals and organizations such as NOW chapters, YWCA's, and rape crisis hotlines demanding that WCI companies institute a responsible advertising policy. The letter-writing campaign developed as a follow-up to WAVAW's slide show, a presentation of offensive album covers that had been shown to hundreds of women's groups, schools, universities and community organizations across the country.

In 1979, after three years of national protesting, presenting community slide shows, letter-writing, phone-calling, attending shareholders' meetings, leafletting and boycotting, WAVAW secured a policy from Warner Communications, Inc. stating they had agreed to cease and desist with the use of images of violence against women and sex-violence as an advertising gimmick. As a result of the agreement, WAVAW and California NOW ended a three year boycott of WCI Records. On November 8, 1979, WAVAW and WCI made joint statements to the press at dual news conferences in New York and Los Angeles announcing that an agreement had been reached. The agreement announced on November 8, 1979, was presented to the public in the form of a joint press statement, which was negotiated by representatives from WAVAW's national coordinating committee and from the office of David H. Horowitz who is in charge of WCI's record division.

Subsequently, the Los Angeles chapter of WAVAW turned to local projects involving protests against films and campaigns against advertising including the United Artists film Windows in November/December 1980 and Playboy's First Amendment Awards in 1982.

Chronology

• 1976, Mar: "Snuff" campaign
• 1976, Mar 17 - 20 : "Snuff" opens in 22 theatres in the southern California area and coalitions are formed under the name Women Against Violence Against Women in L.A. and Orange County to stop the showing of the film.
• 1976, Mar 20: "Snuff" closes in southern California after playing only one week because of coalition efforts
• 1976, June: Atlantic Records (a WCI subsidiary) launched its promotional campaign for the Rolling Stones' album "Black and Blue."
• 1976, June 20: Atlantic Records has the Rolling Stones billboard on Sunset Strip removed. WAVAW holds press conference in front of where the billboard had been.
• 1976, Nov: WAVAW (in coalition with California NOW) sent letters to each of the WCI record companies demanding that they issue and implement a policy statement against the use of violence against women as an advertising technique.
• 1976, Dec: WAVAW and California NOW called for a boycott of all WCI record labels (Warner/Reprise, Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch, and Atlantic/Atco).
• 1977, Jan: Articles of Incorporation of WAVAW.
• 1978, Sept: First national WAVAW meeting (in New York City) defined organizational structure (national office in Los Angeles), accountable to local/regional chapters via the national coordinating committee.
• 1978, May 25: Members of New York WAVAW attended the annual WCI stockholders' meeting.
• 1979, Nov 8: WAVAW and WCI made joint statements to the press at duel news conferences in Los Angeles and New York announcing that an agreement had been reached.

From the guide to the Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW) collection, 1964-1994, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)