Genesis Women's Shelter is a local shelter in Dallas, Texas, created to give women in an abusive situation a way out. They exist to provide support and safety for women and their families who have been victims of domestic violence or abuse and educate the community about the effects and dangers of domestic violence and its pervasiveness.

As college students, we wanted to address younger individuals in relationships that often mistake passion and chemistry for toxicity and abuse. We wanted to show women that even if he says his actions are because he cares about you, no one who truly cares about you would ever take those actions. We wanted to illustrate the increasing intensity and volatility of a relationship and acknowledge how difficult it can be to reckon with the fact that it is not a loving relationship while also being straightforward and intense as a way to keep women safe and keep those close to those women aware of the signs of domestic violence.

As a result, we collaborated on various copy and visual solutions that illustrated that volatility, and we thought that using a nursery rhyme or classic saying about love with a twist would encapsulate that tone. We also wanted to pair that intense copy with a very sweet, but not out of the ordinary, act of love and affirmation to show that no tangible items such as flowers or gifts could ever make up for what was described in the copy. And so, we designed the He Loves You Not poster:

Genesis Women’s Shelter helps protect women experiencing domestic violence by providing safety, shelter, and support. This poster exemplifies how a toxic relationship is like quickly picking off the petals of a flower—your partner can show you affection one moment and then hurt you with words or actions in the next.

This poster was accepted into SMU Portfolio Night during Fall 2021 out of over 100 other submissions.