Popular female celebrities have been seen with numbers such as 9, 24 and 1000 written on their hands, faces or foreheads. Curious fans have been wondering why they are posting photos featuring these figures. The real meaning behind the numbers has now been revealed.
The stars have come together to protest against digital violence and cyberbullying. They have joined a unique awareness campaign titled ‘My Number, My Rules’. The number each celebrity displays represents how many times, on average, she is harassed or cyberbullied online every day.
Actress Nusrat Imroz Tisha launched the movement on November 25. Displaying the number ‘9’, she explained that she faces online harassment at least nine times a day. Tisha wrote: ‘Numbers to voices, let’s share our stories openly. Tell the story behind your number, raise your voice louder. People may only see a number, but I see everything I have endured and overcome.’
Following Tisha, many other female stars in showbiz have expressed their solidarity with the movement. Actress Runa Khan posted the number ‘24’, meaning she is bullied 24 times a day. For Shabnam Faria, the figure is shocking: ‘1000’. Prarthana Fardin Dighi shared ‘3’, Moushumi Hamid ‘72’, Sajia Sultana Putul ‘9’ and Ashna Habib Bhabna posted ‘99 plus’, highlighting the scale of the harassment they face.
Runa Khan commented, ‘It’s not only celebrities. Any woman can be a victim of harassment on social media. Although social media has spread rapidly in the past ten years, many people have not learned how to use it responsibly.’
She added, ‘Women have never been 100% safe. However, after August 5 the situation has become even more alarming. Women are constantly facing harassment, insults and taunts in various spheres.’
According to the organisers, the online campaign ‘My Number, My Rules’ will run for 16 consecutive days to raise awareness about digital violence.
