“It was just a bit of fun.” Men don’t always see things the way women do and when that comes to women’s safety, it’s a problem. A national poll in the UK revealed that roughly six in ten men believe safety concerns are sometimes exaggerated. With International Women’s Day approaching, Forsman & Bodenfors and Beyond Equality, the charity working with men to promote a positive masculinity, created a campaign to engage men in the conversation around women’s safety.

Prompted by the poll results that showed 95% of men agree they share equal responsibility in ensuring women’s safety, the campaign, See What She Sees, juxtaposes how women and men see various social situations. It was inspired by the conversations sparked by a now-viral moment on The Graham Norton Show, where actors Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal unintentionally highlighted the striking contrast in how men and women navigate everyday situations.

The full campaign, created by Forsman & Bodenfors, with the support of Stagwell sister agencies Goodstuff (media), KWT Global (PR) and The National Research Group, NRG is appearing across digital OOH, print and online across the UK.

“The idea is simple: when it comes to physical safety, men and women often experience the same situations in completely different ways. Women know this instinctively – but many men, even the so-called ‘good guys,’ remain unaware. After all, they’ve probably never had to see the world quite the same way,” stated Dan Guinness, managing director of Beyond Equality. “What’s often missing is men fully understanding the extent of these experiences and knowing how they can be part of the solution. This campaign invites them into the conversation and aims to inspire action.”

NRG surveyed 2,000 respondents, demographically representative of the UK population. The poll also revealed:

• 70% of women feel concerned about being followed or harassed when alone in public versus 44% of men.
• 65% of women say safety fears limit their social and professional participation, compared to 55% of men.
• 64% of women experience poor mental health due to safety concerns, compared to 56% of men. 
• 47% of women identify public transport as the place where they feel most unsafe, underscoring a critical gap in everyday safety that affects millions during their daily commutes and everyday lives.

Helen James, CEO of Forsman & Bodenfors London, commented, “Alongside policy and systemic change, 90% of women surveyed think men should take more responsibility in calling out inappropriate behaviour in their peers. But it’s not about pointing fingers; it’s about helping men recognise the realities women face and showing them small, everyday ways they can help shift the culture.”

The campaign is explained in a landing page that also takes viewers to support and resources for both women as well as men looking to take tangible action, and it invites visitors to learn more about Beyond Equality’s work with men and boys.