The Challenge
The Centre for Equality and Justice is a women's organization based in Colombo Sri Lanka that works for gender justice. Its mission is to promote gender equality through advocacy and influencing for good governance, economic empowerment of women, and adherence to international principles and standards.
Rushda lives in Batticaloa. She is a mother of 3 children-two girls and a boy. She recently got divorced and lives with her extended family that supports her and the children. Life after the divorce has been difficult, her husband left and chose not to have any contact with her and their children.
Facing her community as a divorced mother has been difficult for Rushda. However, she has managed to survive.
Rushda finds it hard to make ends meet with her meager income. Added to this financial burden, she is trying to solve a dispute over a land where she is the rightful owner of an inherited piece of land.
Rushda goes to the local Police Station to make an official complaint about her land issue. When she tries to speak to an Officer on duty, he interrupts her and tells her she is too beautiful to be single. He leans close to Rushda making her feel uncomfortable.
The Police officer continues to ask Rushda if she can send him nude images of herself. He says he will sort the land dispute if she sends him the images. Rushda refuses, feeling lost and powerless because she didn't know who she can go to for help.
The Police Officer doesn’t stop his demand for sexual images and keeps calling her even after the initial incident. He threatens that he would take her children away if she doesn’t accede to his demands.
