[Article in the Huffington Post, Brazil, 29 March 2014] Earlier this week, a study was released that said a startling 65.1 percent of Brazilians either partially or wholly believe that “if dressed provocatively, women deserve to be attacked and raped.” In addition, the study revealed a 58.5 percent complacency with the belief that “if women knew how to behave, there would be less rape.”
The study, conducted by Brazil’s Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), showed that 66.5 percent of the surveyed pool were in fact, women. The institute interviewed a reflective sample of 3,810 Brazilians via questionnaire across 212 cities between May and June of 2013.
Brazilian women instantly reacted and took to social media and blogs to start a conversation about the study’s revelations, keeping the story relevant and trending for more than 24 hours. In protest, Brazilian journalist Nana Queiroz created a Facebook event and hashtag to confront the outrage. The hashtag is appropriately titled #NãoMereçoSerEstuprada, which translates to ‘#IDon’tDeserveToBeRaped.’
In an organized call to action, on March 28 at 8 p.m. Brazilian local time, women were encouraged to share photos of themselves topless while covering their breasts with a sign that showcased the aforementioned hashtag. The Facebook event also specified that if women were uncomfortable posting topless photos, they should pose fully clothed. The important thing, the journalist explained, was that “they, as women, demonstrate that no one can claim ownership over their bodies either than themselves.”
Article by Gabriela Kruschewsky.
