On Nov. 16, the Jordanian National Commission for Women organized a sit-in near the Prime Ministry in Amman, Jordan, in response to a traumatic case of domestic abuse. Ten days prior, Fatmeh Abou Malek lost her vision after her husband gouged her eyes out in Jerash, Jordan. The act of violence occurred as a result of a domestic dispute, details of which have not yet been uncovered, in front of their three children. The husband was originally charged with causing permanent disability by the Jerash Criminal Court, which could have resulted in a prison term ranging from three to 15 years.

Under the theme ‘Enough,’ many Jordanians gathered in the sit-in to advocate for an end to the culture of increasingly prominent violence against women in Jordan. They also called for more effective legal means to protect victims of domestic violence.

“The fact that so many women and men came forward to protest for the cause proves that some people are taking the necessary steps to inspire change in a system that does not favor women and denies them basic rights,” Tala Asiri, Class of 2022, shared.

As a result of the sit-in, and in light of further medical reports, the suspect is now being leveled for attempted-murder charges by the court.

“We’re seeing quick and direct results after the sit-in. There are people that are listening, there are people that are taking initiative to get some justice for the victim,” Aya Afaneh, Class of 2021, stated. “That’s so important, especially when looking at other victims that are not outspoken in this undercover, social norm of domestic violence. They can see that story and feel like there are people doing creating change out there.”

Many perceive the sit-in as a necessary and concrete means of action after #JordanSpeaksUp generated dialogue in regards to violence against women. The hashtag began trending on Twitter in mid-October, with 4,000 tweets falling under it. It was based on the title of Rana Hamad’s 20-minute documentary that raises awareness of sexual harassment through sharing anonymous stories of the experience of several women in Jordan.

“I first saw #JordanSpeaksUp trending on Twitter a few weeks ago, and I was thinking about how important it is that all these Jordanian women are stepping up to shed light on the injustice happening in Jordan, as well as how corrupt and unjust the legal system is,” Asiri added. “The events of the past week were really just the final catalyst to spark nationwide outrage regarding violence against women in Jordan.”

Movements such as the sit-in and #JordanSpeaksUp have created a voice for victims, yet much of the problem falls in the hands of the legal system.

“There is a clear failure in the system; women are getting abused but cannot speak up because they are afraid of the consequences,” Muhannad Ramlawi, Class of 2020, said. “Divorce is stigmatized and many Jordanian women lack the financial stability that would allow them to get by on their own.”

Many regard the sit-in as a progressive step towards change, but Afaneh draws attention to the lack of official news coverage on the event and violence against women in general.

“On a personal note, I think that the scariest thing is that there was no coverage. I actually found out through friends and social media, which is crazy considering this is a topic that should have been covered on every news site. Even within the Arab region, there was no coverage of the topic,” Afaneh said. “It's really, really scary to think that these things could go unnoticed, and with no consequences.”

The struggle for accessibility of a transparent account of events reflects the lack of attention drawn to violence against women, which is on the rise in the Middle East. UN reports find that 70% of women are victims of brutality, typically by intimate partners. In Jordan alone, 7,000 cases of solely domestic violence were reported in 2019.

“It’s sad because news like this no longer shocks me. People aren’t progressing in regard to women’s rights in the Middle East, nor do we have the right systems in place to protect women,” stated Seelen Barada, Class of 2021. “How long will we allow women to suffer in silence? How long will we ignore calls for help?”