‘I blamed myself’: how stigma stops Arab women reporting online abuse Olivia Cuthbert
The first pornographic picture sent shivers of shock through Amal as she stared in horror at the phone screen. Until now, she had responded politely to the older man who had been messaging her on Facebook, hoping to deter his questions about her life with curt, one-word replies.
More lurid pictures followed, some from pornographic magazines, others of the man himself in sexual poses. “I started to blame myself and feel that I invited this because I had replied to him,” says the 21-year-old, who is a university student in Amman, Jordan.
Last modified on Thu 15 Apr 2021 05.27 EDT
The first pornographic picture sent shivers of shock through Amal as she stared in horror at the phone screen. Until now, she had responded politely to the older man who had been messaging her on Facebook, hoping to deter his questions about her life with curt, one-word replies.
More lurid pictures followed, some from pornographic magazines, others of the man himself in sexual poses. âI started to blame myself and feel that I invited this because I had replied to him,â says the 21-year-old, who is a university student in Amman, Jordan.
Amal kept the messages secret from her family, afraid they would punish her and block her access to social media. Nor did she confide in female friends. âThe pictures were so bad. I couldnât tell anyone in case they asked why this man selected me and thought maybe I encouraged him.â