Death threats and isolation - the cost of fighting sexual violence in Iraq

What the report says

BBC News Arabic, reporting from Baghdad, says Iraqi women’s rights activists and survivors are using social media and legal complaints to document harassment and sexual violence, even as they face social pressure, weak institutional support and threats. One activist, Sarah Jassim, posts videos filmed by women who confront alleged harassers in public, saying the footage can serve as evidence or public accountability. She told the BBC that she has received death threats and threats of acid attacks and now rarely leaves home. The article says one clip she shared led to the arrest of an alleged perpetrator accused of harassing schoolgirls.

The report describes a broader climate in which many women say they do not trust police, families or the courts to protect them. Several survivors told the BBC that reporting abuse can trigger stigma, pressure to stay silent, or advice to settle matters privately. Activists and lawyers cited complicated legal procedures and uncertain outcomes, while a UN committee on discrimination against women has said violence against women and girls in Iraq is widespread and under-reported and has urged stronger laws.

The story also follows Amal, who says her ex-husband repeatedly raped their daughter and threatened her during the assault; she has pursued the case for years and says she lacks the money for legal representation. The BBC also notes the killing of activist Yanar Mohammed in Baghdad last March, which human-rights experts linked to years of threats and abuse, as an example of the risks facing campaigners. Overall, the report shows how documenting abuse has become both a form of resistance and a personal danger in Iraq.