In brief
Women in Kenya and Ghana have become targets of a harmful online trend where men secretly film interactions without consent, leading to public ridicule and abuse. The videos, often monetized on social media, objectify women and shift the blame onto victims for their behavior, prompting outrage among activists. This report shines a light on the urgent need for awareness and action against misogynistic practices that exploit and harm women.
On Valentine's Day, Joy Kalekye, a 19-year-old student in Nairobi, received a shocking call from a friend urging her to check social media, where a video of her had been posted without her knowledge. The video depicted a chance encounter with a man who approached her on the street, complimenting her looks while stealthily recording the interaction.
This incident is part of a broader disturbing trend, where men in Kenya and Ghana secretly film women without their consent, capturing their reactions as they are approached for conversation. These videos are then uploaded online, often to thousands of views, sometimes generating income for their creators.
Kalikaye’s experience is not unique; many women victims are ridiculed online, facing a barrage of abuse. Activists have condemned this behavior, emphasizing that rather than holding the perpetrators accountable, society often shifts blame onto the women, scrutinizing their choices, dress, and behavior instead.
Brenda Yambo, legal counsel at the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya), highlights the harmful stereotypes reinforced by this backlash, discouraging victims from speaking out against such injustices.
The man behind these videos, identified as Vladislav Liulkov, is currently wanted by Ghanaian authorities for filming women without consent and profiting from it. Even as the videos circulate, those responsible face little accountability, raising pressing questions about consent and misogyny in the digital age.
This trend underscores the urgent need for societal change towards recognizing the rights of women and addressing the gender biases that foster such exploitative behavior.
