'Save Amal!' Video of Domestically Abused Saudi Woman Pleading for Help Goes Viral

Women in the Middle East are still being subjected to abuse by their husbands, fathers, or brothers, despite attempts by activists to raise awareness about domestic violence in the region.

A new victim of domestic abuse came into the spotlight, when she decided to seek help from people on social media. In the viral video, the woman pleads for help after being abused by her brother and her family.

The Saudi woman, Amal, appeared in a poor condition with bruising on her face, saying she was beaten by her brother after her latest visit to her family home.

As Amal mentions in the video, she was divorced from her husband because of her brother, and she lost the right to guardianship over her children. 

Amal sought the help of the justice system, but she said justice had failed her due to "misogyny and corruption" in the conservative kingdom. 

Translation: “My ex husband used to protect me from my family and brothers, who mercilessly tormented me and tore my family apart..”

Meanwhile, activists on social media were enraged by Amal’s story. Creating the hashtag #أنقذوا_أمل (#SaveAmal), Saudi women shared their own experiences with family violence and demanded they be given their rights, highlighting domestic abuse as a major issue in the Gulf and the Middle East at large.