It’s safe to say that nothing really can surprise any of us these days when it comes to the totally messed up state of affairs in the world.
For every few steps forward, it seems we take some pretty massive ones backwards.
In one of the most recent examples, a makeup tutorial aired on November 23 on Moroccan state TV with the purpose to show viewers how to easily cover the signs of domestic abuse, including bruises and black eyes.
Smiling host Lilia Mouline of the show Sabahiyat applies makeup to another woman who appears to have been beaten.
She nonchalantly highlights the best brands for hiding bruises, like the ones created on the model with makeup.
Trust us, we were just as shocked to hear about it as you likely are.
“After the beating, this part is still sensitive, so don’t press,” said Mouline in Arabic, according to The Washington Post. “Make sure to use loose powder to fix the makeup so if you have to work throughout the day, the bruises don’t show,” she said.
“We hope that these beauty tips help you carry on with your normal life,” she added, suggesting that women should simply hide the visible signs of domestic violence.
To make things even worse, the clip aired two days before the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
How a women’s daily show on Moroccan state media recognizes the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. https://t.co/Ez5TPdRzVd
— Samia Errazzouki (@S_Errazzouki) November 25, 2016
Naturally, it didn’t take long for the social media backlash to take the online world by storm.
In response, the network issued an apology on its Facebook page and removed the clip from the site. They also issued an additional on-air apology, calling the segment an “editorial error of judgment in view of the sensitivity and the gravity of the subject of violence against women.”
That’s no small “error” though.
Many women in Morocco and elsewhere demanded more action, and an online petition in both English, French and Arabic is currently circulating on Change.org.
It reads:
A few days before the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, a show dedicated to women on the Moroccan public channel 2M aired the November 23th a segment showing Moroccan women how to cover bruises from domestic violence. As Moroccan women and as feminist activists in Morocco, and in the name of all Moroccan people, we denounce the message of normalization with violence against women. We demand severe sanctions against this show, “Sabahiyat”, and the channel 2M. We encourage signatories to contact the High Authority of Audiovisual Communication (HACA), demanding they take action against 2M and Sabahiyat. A full list of phone numbers and email address is available here:HACA Do not cover domestic violence with makeup, condemn the aggressor!
Amen.
Furthermore, a recent survey found that 62.8 per cent of Moroccan women ages 18 to 65 had experienced domestic violence, as the Washington Post reports.
As Amber Heard reminds us in her new emotional PSA, it continues to occur worldwide, despite the growing mass awareness of the cause.
Rather than assuming it is something that can and should be covered up with concealer like your average pimple, the discussion needs to turn to preventing it in the first place – whether in Morocco, in North America or anywhere else in the world.
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