Rates of domestic violence in Monroe County are almost 2X the statewide rate. So for the month of October we hijacked the scariest holiday to expose a scarier reality. The Real Haunted House of Monroe County gave our community a firsthand look at the abuse that haunts survivors year-round. Held in the most public of places—the Rochester Public Market—we turned an old bakery into an immersive, one-day, pop-up experience.

While picture-perfect with a picket fence on the outside, the inside told a truer reality of power, control, manipulation, and coercion—a reality that represents thousands of homes possessed by domestic violence in our community.

Our most important result—three individuals disclosed for the first time that they’re in violent relationships and seeking safety and support from Willow Domestic Violence Center.

Recognition: PR Week, Campaign US, American Advertising Federation—local and regional.