Christina Aguilera, Nicole Kidman and Martina McBride Join Lifetime Television for 7th Annual Emmy Award-Winning, Multi-Platform 'End Violence Against Women' Campaign

-- 'A Life Interrupted,' Inspired by the True Story of Rape Survivor-Turned- Advocate, Debbie Smith, Recounts Grassroots and Legislative Victory Expected to Put Approximately 70,000 Rapists Behind Bars, Premieres on April 23rd --

-- New PSA and Extensive Digital Content Features UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador Kidman and Footage from Her Recent Trip to Kosovo, as Part of Global Effort to End Gender Violence --

-- Multi-Grammy Winner Aguilera Takes Campaign on 'Back to Basics' Concert Tour by Running Lifetime Spots on Jumbotrons, Distributing Materials, Designing Special Scarf and Tie and Honoring Survivors and Advocates --

-- Network Seeks to Encourage Millions to Commit to Help End Violence Against Women in Their Communities --

"One in three women worldwide will experience abuse or sexual violence in her life." --Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health

NEW YORK, April 3 -- Lifetime Television is expanding its Emmy-winning campaign to "End Violence Against Women" with powerful original programming, celebrity PSAs and content on all multi-media platforms; a new focus on helping women around the world through a partnership with UNIFEM, the United Nations Development Fund for Women, and its Goodwill Ambassador, Oscar winner Nicole Kidman; a viral effort to spawn awareness and action headlined by Grammy winner Martina McBride; and a grassroots initiative in communities across the country with screenings and events on college campuses and by teaming up with multi-Grammy winner Christina Aguilera on her "Back to Basics" tour.

Throughout April, National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, campaign elements will include:

Premiering "A Life Interrupted" about Rape Survivor and Advocate Debbie Smith:

The campaign's programming centerpiece is "A Life Interrupted," starring Lea Thompson, which is inspired by the true story of Virginia housewife Debbie Smith, who, working with Lifetime, its viewers, advocacy partners, and bipartisan Members of Congress, helped pass what has been hailed as the most effective piece of anti-rape legislation in U.S. history. A PSA with Debbie Smith and Rep. Carolyn Maloney, the original author of "The Debbie Smith Act," will air at the end of the film. Premieres on Monday, April 23rd, at 9PM (ET/PT).

Launching a Global Effort with UNIFEM, the United Nations Development Fund for Women, and Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman:

To highlight the epidemic of violence against women internationally, Lifetime is partnering with UNIFEM and its Goodwill Ambassador, Oscar-winning actress Kidman, on an original PSA and online content. On http://www.LifetimeTV.com, visitors will find interviews with Kidman sharing why she became a UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador, reflecting on her recent trip to Kosovo where she visited sexual assault survivors and urging support for UNIFEM's efforts to this. LifetimeTV.com will also offer resources providing ways to get involved, and features highlighting how -- through the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women -- women are working in big and small ways to combat violence across the globe.

Taking the Campaign Message on Tour -- at Christina Aguilera's "Back to Basics" Concerts:

Three years ago, Lifetime took Christina Aguilera's mother, a domestic violence survivor, to Washington to testify before Congress. Now her multi- Grammy-winning daughter -- whose powerful song "Oh Mother" is a tribute to her mother and all those who have experienced abuse and who have supported shelters in her hometown of Pittsburgh and Los Angeles -- is starring in an original PSA that will air on Lifetime and throughout April. In addition, multi-Grammy winner Aguilera is bringing the campaign messages of hope, courage and activism on her "Back to Basics" tour by showing her Lifetime PSA on jumbotrons; recognizing survivors and advocates who Lifetime, Aguilera and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) specially invite to her concerts; and distributing Lifetime's new educational brochures with information on ways to get involved.

"Wearing Support" for Ending Violence with Scarves and Ties Designed by Christina Aguilera:

This year, women and men can show their solidarity with the cause of ending gender violence by wearing their support. Christina Aguilera has designed a scarf and tie, which will be distributed to Members of Congress, White House officials, media, advocates, survivors and select concert attendees and http://www.LifetimeTV.com visitors.

Creating a Viral Effort with Specially Dedicated Song by Martina McBride:

Grammy winner Martina McBride, a long-time supporter of Lifetime's anti- violence campaign and a champion of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, is dedicating her new single, "Anyway," as a tribute to Debbie Smith and survivors of violence everywhere. The song will anchor a moving original video trailer -- featuring McBride, scenes from "A Life Interrupted," and powerful images of sexual assault survivors by photographer Nobuko Oyabu -- which will air at the end of the film and will be featured in a viral e-card promoting the anti-violence message.

Extending the Campaign Message Across Multi-Platforms:

-- Video on Demand -- A VOD will be available on Comcast that takes viewers "behind the scenes" on how the "The Debbie Smith Act" was created with exclusive interviews with Debbie and her husband, Rob Smith, as well as several pivotal, bipartisan Members of Congress and advocates who supported the legislation and ultimately helped to make it law.

-- Lifetimetv.com -- a new mini-site will include extensive digital content, including the PSAs with Aguilera and Kidman, the VOD special, the global effort informed by UNIFEM, a petition urging Congress to fund critical support and prevention programs, a downloadable viewer's guide to "A Life Interrupted," features, statistics, and resources.

-- XM Satellite Radio - partner XM will air Lifetime's PSAs and interview celebrities, advocates and survivors tied to the cause.

-- Fundraising for the Cause through partnerships with iTunes, Amazon.com and Sprint: Lifetime is joining with iTunes to offer "A Life Interrupted" with all Lifetime proceeds going to the Network's designated charities during the month of April. In addition, the Network will fundraise for the cause via referred sales on Amazon.com and Lifetime's downloadable application on Sprint (or any other carrier where available).

Bringing the Campaign to Nation's Capital and Beyond for 5th Annual "End Violence Week":

From April 16-20, Lifetime joins with its nonprofit partners and bipartisan lawmakers for a week of events to send the message that violence against women is a national priority. Lifetime will co-host with the National Center for Victims of Crime the premiere screening of "A Life Interrupted," on April 17th, with Debbie and Rob Smith, Lea Thompson, Members of Congress, Department of Justice officials, and leading advocates. In addition, Lifetime is teaming up with local rape crisis centers, nonprofit organizations and the Network's College Corps to host discussions and screenings of "A Life Interrupted."

"Lifetime remains dedicated to working with dozens of our nonprofit partners to tackle the issues of domestic abuse and sexual assault that women repeatedly tell us are their #1 concerns and their #1 election issues. We are so proud to add such powerful voices to the cause this year, that will not only spotlight violence as a global epidemic and a pervasive problem in our own backyards, but that will encourage millions more women and men to say 'I can and I will make a difference,'" said Meredith Wagner, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, Lifetime Entertainment Services.

Partners: Lifetime has built a coalition of more than 70 nonprofit organizations who inform and support the campaign, including, but not limited to: Equality Now, Men Can Stop Rape, the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, the National Center for Victims of Crime, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the National Violence Sexual Violence Resource Center, RAINN and UNIFEM. The Network also teams up with brother network ESPN.

LIFETIME is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multi-media company, LIFETIME is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. LIFETIME Television, LMN, Lifetime Real Women, Lifetime Home Entertainment, and Lifetime Online (http://www.lifetimetv.com) are part of LIFETIME Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

SOURCE Lifetime Television
http://www.lifetimetv.com