The Federación Extremeña de Asociaciones de Mujeres Rurales (FEXAMUR) has launched a city-wide awareness campaign in Badajoz against covert controlling behaviour in relationships. Under the slogan “No todo lo que parece, lo es”, posters in public spaces link a hidden QR code to short online videos explaining early warning signs. According to elDiario.es and Cadena SER the combination of public spaces and digital content is designed to spark curiosity and provide easy access to information about behaviours that may be precursors to violence in relationships .
The deliberately ambiguous messages on the posters draw attention to behaviours such as jealousy, checking a mobile phone, withdrawing from friends and family, or constantly asking for someone's location. The QR code leads to an explanatory video that puts these patterns in context. The campaign is structured as a short narrative: from the element of surprise, through recognising everyday situations, to guidance on how those affected and people around them can raise concerns about harmful dynamics. Speaking to Cadena SER, FEXAMUR communications officer Almudena Blancosaid such actions were not caring, but could indicate control and dependence. According to the organisation, the campaign is expected to run for several weeks; initial feedback and view figures are based on its own analysis so far.
FEXAMUR is active in Extremadura as an umbrella organisation for rural women's associations, and the campaign is aimed at the wider urban public in Badajoz. The initiative uses short, accessible formats to lower barriers and make it easier to recognise warning signs. The organisers say that controlling behaviour can emerge in the early stages of relationships and intensify during holiday periods or when people are isolated from others.
The facts about the campaign's launch and content are based on statements from FEXAMUR and consistent reports by regional media. Claims about reach and impact are currently the organisation's own; no independent evaluations are available. It is also unclear to what extent municipal authorities or the Instituto de la Mujer de Extremadura are supporting the campaign or whether additional preventive measures will follow. It is also unclear whether the format will be rolled out elsewhere. The available information does not support forecasts about its long-term impact; reliable assessments will only be possible after the campaign ends and an external evaluation has been carried out.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).