(Beirut) Women’s rights NGO Abaad, in partnership with the Lebanese office For
Women Affairs and the National Commission for Lebanese Women, and with the
financial support of the Dutch Embassy in Lebanon, the British Embassy in
Lebanon and the Norwegian People Aid, and a number of partners and allies, has
launched the “#ShameOnWho?” nationwide campaign. Founder & Director of ABAAD.Ghida Anani, described this as:
"The aim of this campaign is to press for tougher sanctions and accelerate trials against rapists, in cases of sexual violence and rape in particular, and to change social perceptions that stigmatize and shame female rape victims, pushing them to cover up the crime. It also aims to create a supportive public opinion that condemns the act of rape as a crime punishable by a deterrent punishment"The campaign included a video of a social experiment that had been conducted, in more than one area of Lebanon, in which to observe the behaviours and reactions of people who were presented with a female actress playing the part of a rape victim.The majority of people who she bumped into blamed the victim, accusing her of instigating the rape and “running loose,” with few people asking about the rapist. This behaviour reflects the negative perception and attitudes of the Lebanese society towards rape victims.
