Behind the Stigma
In tight and closed communities, homes contain more secrets than its members are willing to share. Women of the household tend to be prideful and protective over their reputations, often providing for their families and holding responsibility. Several areas in Lebanon suffer from great socioeconomic losses, but services like Jina Al Dar reinforce how important it is for women and girls to speak out against all forms of violence, and pursue support through services that protect and empower them in their environments.
Karantina, one of the areas most affected by the Beirut explosion, is home to marginalized communities, like Palestinian and Syrian refugees and residents, as well as migrant workers. Many NGOs have uplifted the area, with several initiatives aimed at rehabilitating neighborhoods, stores and public recreational areas.
In Karantina’s public park gather women and girls with Jina Al Dar, to watch playback theatre, as it echoes their experiences and allows them to introspect on collective memory. Nour Wardani, actor with Studio Laban, discovers the audience by tallying with the raise of hands: which women are educated, which are mothers, and others that have jobs. Most women are stay at home mothers that have not received education. Nour and the actors are very aware of their positionality: “I’m not like you, and I need to accept that. I shouldn’t lie, if I were like you, I would be sitting with you, but I do have similar experiences.” Nour uncovers several stories that want to be shared, ones about the racism that this community has faced when looking for education and job opportunities, and of course, the story with the rawest wound, the August 4 port explosion.
Under the park’s warm sun, the light breeze and colorful playground, the women shake their legs impatiently with heavy hearts and heavy minds. After a play triggers one woman, Nahila, tears stream down her face and she confesses that all this time her emotions around the explosion had rusted. “We have given up, we are frustrated that no action is being taken to give us justice… what is the use of remembering?” Nour mirrors this question back and asks the audience just how have they been coping all this time? Some respond back saying strong faith has saved them or even fear held them back, others believe in strong will or imminent change. Jina Al Dar allows the space for any open wounds to be talked about, offering immediate psycho-social support, and containing people’s experiences by comforting them, with social workers being present on ground.
With the explosion taking front and center, the experiences of the community might be easily dismissed into one big struggle, however, and with playback theatre, the actors attempt at finding unique details that make stories individualized and personal.
Similarly, in Kherbet Char, Akkar, it is easy to dismiss gender-based violence for the sake of more prevalent and visible issues, like financial difficulties. During an awareness session held at the town’s community center, the women did not shy away from expressing their frustrations with the economic situation. But when they were encouraged to speak out against forms of violence they were experiencing in their personal lives, they responded with sarcasm: ““stop Um Khodr, we will tell Abou Khodr!”
Set Amne, an elderly and respected figure asked the women gathered: “why are you hiding? They aren’t talking even if they have pain.” The Abaad social workers surrounded the room, attempting to comfort the women and normalize them speaking out. In parallel, and after the play in Karantina’s public park, Amal, one of the women attending, shared: “I know most of the people that were watching this play. They all suffer from a lot behind closed doors, but rarely talk. I know that if I were to talk, they would gossip behind my back. It’s unfair, we are all struggling but assume we are better than each other.”
Stigma and taboo continue to inhibit collective healing. With Jina Al Dar, marginalized communities are learning how to become more open to each other’s experiences, gaining empowerment through awareness sessions, and gathering women to reflect back their experiences, and drive introspection.
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