Sexual Assault Survivors In India Share Their Stories With Snapchat Filters

Snapchat filters generally only make the news when they create a slut-shaming, blackface or whitewashing scandal, but in India face-mapping technology is being used in a very smart and honourable way. 

Sharing stories of sexual assault, especially in a country like India where sexual assaults go unreported, can be traumatic: people fear the fall-out from speaking out and the stigma attached to it.

While dog-ears and dragon masks may seem flippant, Yusuf Omar, the mobile editor at Hindustan Times found a much more serious use for it. He told journalism.co.uk: "Recording with a mask gave them the sense of legitimacy and security that I wasn't going to be able to show their face, as opposed to trusting a journalist saying 'Yes, we will blur you afterwards' so they felt empowered and in control of the narrative."

 "Stigma around sexual violence is such a big issue, especially in India where women are frequently accused of lying, and now you get to see a young woman tell her story for herself, but with all of her emotions," Omar explained.​ 

[facebook ]https://www.facebook.com/hindustantimes/videos/10153931270138580/" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share">

In India, rape is the fourth most common crime, and sexual assault occurs every 22 minutes (!)