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Women Against Violence Against Women (
WAVAW) collection
LSC.1850
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Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Women Against Violence Against Women (
WAVAW
) collection
) collection
Creator:
Women Against Violence Against Women
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.1850
Physical Description:
4 oversize boxes
Date (inclusive): 1964-1994
Abstract: The Women Against Violence Against Women (
WAVAW
) Collection is a mixture of papers and organizational records, publications, ephemera and audio-visual materials collected
by organization member Dani Adams (national office in Los Angeles). Of particular interest are the internal memos and complete
run of national newsletters produced by the Los Angeles Chapter for national chapter distribution and slides and scripts from
the
WAVAW
slide show, the presentation that chapter members showed to audiences nationwide. There is also extensive coverage of
WAVAW's
actions against the film "Snuff" and the Rolling Stones' "Black and Blue" advertising campaign and national boycott of Warner
Communications, Inc. (WCI).
WAVAW
) Collection is a mixture of papers and organizational records, publications, ephemera and audio-visual materials collected
by organization member Dani Adams (national office in Los Angeles). Of particular interest are the internal memos and complete
run of national newsletters produced by the Los Angeles Chapter for national chapter distribution and slides and scripts from
the
WAVAW
slide show, the presentation that chapter members showed to audiences nationwide. There is also extensive coverage of
WAVAW's
actions against the film "Snuff" and the Rolling Stones' "Black and Blue" advertising campaign and national boycott of Warner
Communications, Inc. (WCI).
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright, are retained
by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue
the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
[Identification of item], Women Against Violence Against Women (
WAVAW
) collection (Collection 1850). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California,
Los Angeles.
WAVAW
) collection (Collection 1850). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California,
Los Angeles.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of Dani Adams.
UCLA Catalog Record ID:
9966468673606533
The collection was processed by Janine Liebert in May, 2008.
Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user
interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides
a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive
processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.
We are committed to providing ethical, inclusive, and anti-racist description of the materials we steward, and to remediating
existing description of our materials that contains language
that may be offensive or cause harm. We invite you to submit feedback about how our collections are described, and how they
could be described more accurately, by filling out the form
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Report Potentially Offensive Description in Library Special Collections.
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
), 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
| 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.
|
This collection forms part of the
The June L. Mazer Archive at UCLA.
Portions of this collection have been digitized and are available online:
Women Against Violence Against Women (
WAVAW
) collection (178 items).
WAVAW
) collection (178 items).
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Women Against Violence Against Women
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