United Nations Spotlight Initiative launches Sync or Storm, a new interactive game to help prevent violence against women and girls before it starts

Built on Equimundo: Center for Masculinity & Social Justice’s research into boyhood and masculinity, the game aims to raise awareness among young boys about the attitudes and behaviors that contribute towards violence against women and girls.

UNITED NATIONS, New York - The United Nations Spotlight Initiative has introduced Sync or Storm, an immersive adventure game for boys aged 9 to 12, as part of the #WithHer digital advocacy campaign to build awareness, encourage positive intervention and advance efforts to end violence against women and girls.

With nearly one in three women experiencing violence during their lifetime, the need for prevention is critical. As digital spaces become an increasingly important part of young people’s lives, Sync or Storm reaches kids where they already spend their time, using interactive gameplay to encourage positive behaviours and collaborative problem-solving.

“Gaming has become an important space where young people connect, interact and shape how they see the world,” said Koye Adeboye, Head of Communications for the United Nations Spotlight Initiative. “Through this campaign, we aim to reach some of the estimated 43 million Roblox users under the age of 13 who play every day. If we are serious about preventing violence before it starts, we need to engage young people in the spaces where they spend their time.”

Developed by Bad Ape in collaboration with Equimundo and Spotlight Initiative, the interactive game encourages young players on how their actions affect others. 

The game's foundation is informed by Equimundo's Man Box research in the US, UK and Mexico, which found that those with the most rigid views of manhood were up to five times more likely to bully or sexually harass others, and were also more likely to report depression and suicidal thoughts (Hill et al., 2020). The Global Early Adolescent Study also surveyed 10–14-year-olds globally and showed that gender norms are already entrenched by early adolescence.

Caroline Hayes, Senior Technical Specialist, Digital Strategies at Equimundo, said: "Boys don't form harmful ideas about manhood in isolation; they absorb them from the culture around them, including the games they play. Sync or Storm shows boys at a formative age that respect and cooperation are expressions of strength. That's exactly the kind of prevention work we need more of."

Learn more at spotlightinitiative.org/sync-or-storm. 

Sync or Storm is now available on Roblox.

For more information, please contact:

Mohammed Alsharie
Senior Account Executive
Edelman Middle East
E-mail: mohammed.alsharie@edelman.com
Phone: +971 (0) 50 200 1436