Behind the Mask

The trafficked women in "The Walk" tell their stories from behind masks. So this eerie image resonates with me. It's from a National Post article exposing the horrors of abuse against women in Afghanistan. An Afghan TV show documented this fearful 16-year-old's story from behind a mask:

"Niqab, or The Mask, is the first show of its kind in Afghanistan. The participants hail from across the country, and over the course of 60 minutes peel back the layers of violence and indifference they have suffered in a society that often casts women as second-class citizens."

You can read the whole article at:

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/Behind+mask+Afghan+program+exposes+horror+abuse+against+women/4078256/story.html

(Thanks to Michael Davidson for this link!)

This is Global Sex Trafficking Awareness Week. A lot of the initiatives are focused not just on awareness, but prevention. Of course, they go hand in hand. Changing abusive behaviours means changing distorted attitudes. (Don't plant ragweed and hold your breath for roses.)

Here's a link to an article from an Asian women's magazine about educating the most susceptible populations:

http://audreymagazine.com/human-trafficking-awareness-day-keep-girls-out-of-the-sex-trade/