What do Thandie Newton, Charlize Theron, Frances Fisher and Rosario Dawson have in common? More than just acting chops. They've all lent their support to the One Billion Rising campaign to challenge violence against women and girls. Today is not just Valentine's Day but also International Women's Day, and it saw Newton join a march to Parliament in London to draw attention to the issue.
"It's been beginning since we were little girls, and we are forcing open the flood gates," she said in a statement on the organisation's website. Having faced violence herself, she feels that there is an endemic problem with how society perceives women, and hopes that this movement will give confidence to those who don't currently feel able to stand up for themselves.
Outside Pariament, the marchers released 109 balloons to commemorate women killed by their partners or former partners over the last year, in the UK alone.
The issue extends to the film industry itself, with director Onir recently saying he thinks Bollywood bears some responsibility for the poor treatment of women in India. Too often he says, Bollywood heroes are shown slapping women before going on to win their love, or crowds of men are shown leering at women in a way that encourages disrespect.
It's a problem that can also be found in Western cinema. Although onscreen displays of sexualised violence against women are now less common - and subject to tougher certification - the very small number of women in influential positions within the industry means voices challenging its cultural prevalence are rarely heard. Figures like Newton are hoping to change that.
