Tunisian media is traditionally conservative, and there is an express ban on nudity. The issue of abuse against women is further compounded because of societal attitudes that regard the airing of domestic issues as shameful. The cultural context is the same as that of much of the Middle East and North Africa, where intense media regulations restrict many issues that would otherwise be part and parcel of public discourse.

We posted a picture of Amal’s naked and bruised body on Facebook to draw attention to the abuse she had endured. But the image offended more people because it showed a woman’s naked body than the fact that she had been beaten. Furthermore, Facebook removed the post in just one day, citing online regulations banning nudity. Determined to end the violence, we collaborated with ATFD, the oldest feminist association in Tunisia, and engaged the entire country through a social initiative called Warri, the Arabic word for ‘Expose’, dedicated to exposing images of these acts of violence. The Warri campaign started in December 2016 and is on-going with presences on Facebook and at its own website, where it continues to invite women to share their stories and images of abuse.