Domestic Violence: Not Just a Western Issue

    (source: Daily Mail)

The image above is the first domestic violence awareness ad in Saudi Arabia. It is certainly an important step toward not only eventual equality (note that this equality may be different in parts from the Western definition), but more critically, it acknowledges that a problem exists that can no longer be overlooked.

Curiously, the English and Arabic versions have not just different statements, but different connotations. While the English text reads "Some things can't be covered," the Arabic translates to "the tip of the iceberg." The English is a very Western play on words given the covered women's wear. The Arabic meanwhile, hints at a much larger problem that needs to be addressed.