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ISF Campaign Against Sexual Blackmail Blames Victims
A recent communication released by the Internal Security Forces addresses the issue of online sexual exploitation and blackmail in Lebanon.
It wasn’t too long ago that a telegram from Interpol was intercepted about a 25-year-old Lebanese man who was threatening a young European girl with sharing her pictures online. The man was identified and confessed to his crimes during interrogation.
However, in an attempt to raise awareness regarding the matter, the ISF decided to issue a statement asking citizens not to take “inappropriate” pictures or videos of themselves so they do not fall victim to sexual exploitation. In fact, the ISF’s campaign is even hashtagged “Don’t get photographed”.
The problem with their request is the fact that in this case, the ISF is essentially blaming victims of sexual blackmail for these criminal acts. Instead of starting a campaign to fight perpetrators and taking strong legal action, they have decided that to pin the blame on the person being exploited by asking them to just not put themselves in such situations.
But we have a question for ISF: do you ask people to wear bullet proof vests, or do you disarm the person with the gun?
It wasn’t too long ago that a telegram from Interpol was intercepted about a 25-year-old Lebanese man who was threatening a young European girl with sharing her pictures online. The man was identified and confessed to his crimes during interrogation.
However, in an attempt to raise awareness regarding the matter, the ISF decided to issue a statement asking citizens not to take “inappropriate” pictures or videos of themselves so they do not fall victim to sexual exploitation. In fact, the ISF’s campaign is even hashtagged “Don’t get photographed”.
— (@LebISF) January 5, 2021
The problem with their request is the fact that in this case, the ISF is essentially blaming victims of sexual blackmail for these criminal acts. Instead of starting a campaign to fight perpetrators and taking strong legal action, they have decided that to pin the blame on the person being exploited by asking them to just not put themselves in such situations.
But we have a question for ISF: do you ask people to wear bullet proof vests, or do you disarm the person with the gun?
