Dubai: The Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC) on Thursday launched a three-day interactive platform to highlight violence against women, which remains behind closed doors as victims rarely speak up.
The platform set up at Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) inside an orange container invites visitors to a dark, cold room to listen to a five-minute heart-wrenching soundtrack of a woman who is abused by her alcoholic husband.
The audio narrative, based on a true story, is done by an actor, but captures in vivid detail mental trauma faced by a woman from her abusive husband, a man everyone thought was an ideal partner. She had to always surrender to him and keep quiet for the good of her family, but at one point she tells listeners she decided to speak about it.
The touching and emotional soundtrack is part of the Orange Campaign to raise awareness of violence against women, under the slogan, “Speak Up! Silence Covers Violence.”
It urges women to contact authorities and seek help by calling the helpline number, 800111.
Organised for the first time in the UAE, the campaign — which runs until this weekend — joins hands with the United Nations international campaign to stem violence against women.
“Seven out of 10 women experience violence in their lifetime, according to the UN,” said Fatima Al Falasi, the project manager, who was behind the concept. “Through this platform, we wanted to provoke people’s emotions by getting them inside the victim’s shoe and making them experience the pain she goes through for keeping silent,” she said.
Al Falasi said that it might not be them experiencing violence, but it could be someone they know. “They can think about that person and encourage them to seek help. More women are speaking up about domestic violence, so it’s a good sign but we still need to do more.”
Over 1,500 cases of domestic violence against women have been reported to the DFWC during the last seven years. The cases involved Dubai women residents over the age of 18, who come from different nationalities and have faced physical, emotional, or psychological domestic violence by men in their families.
Al Falasi added there is no country in the world which is free of violence against women. Over 600 million women live in countries where domestic violence is not yet considered a crime. “People need to identify signs and symptoms of abuse on the people they know, because there are some identifiable health effects, including social ones. Our brochures are available for people to pick up and our foundation is there to provide immediate intervention, psychological help and shelter to women who suffer from domestic violence.”
On Thursday, many visitors walked out of the container in tears.
Al Falasi said a couple were both in tears because the wife remembered her abusive ex-husband and her current husband remembered his mum being abused by his father when he was a child.
Shamma Al Falasi, who heard the soundtrack said the session brought home the pain of victims vividly as she closed her eyes and listened. “Although I haven’t experienced domestic violence, but I felt her pain. If I knew someone who’s getting abused, I will not allow them to stay quiet,” she said.
Madura Nayagam and his wife Sumithra were also touched by the soundtrack and said: “It was a short presentation, but it got to us immediately. We are aware of such things and if we know someone we will help them.”
Orange lights are being lit up in JBR for residents to identify the campaign and Al Falasi said the container will be moving to different places in a few months. The foundation will also continue to organise lectures and events for the same cause.
