Gay or a Victim of Family Sexual Harassment? 20-Year Old Jordanian Flees Abroad and Shocks Social Media

In a 9-minute viral video, a Jordanian 20-year old has opened up about her life being threatened by her family,  saying that she has fled to Turkey since last November, escaping a toxic and violent family in Jordan.

According to her video, Layan said that she has been sexually harassed by two of her brothers, in addition to living through domestic violence for years. She talked about her struggles graduating from high school and her family's reluctance to help her get to college afterwards.

Layan also mentioned death threats she received from her father and uncle, saying she left Jordan so she doesn't lose her life to the increasing wave of female killings in the country; one that has been amongst the most frequent issues faced by Jordanian society.

Translation: "Dear, you should go to embassies of Canada or Switzerland and show them the threats you've received so they can temporarily protect you until you receive asylum."

While Layan's video drew the attention of thousands of social media users, who launched the hashtag #savelayan #ساعدوا_ليان, as they called on authorities to guarantee better protection for women in the country, some commentators suspected the authenticity of Layan's narrative.

Some tweets highlighted Layan's photos with another young woman, saying that the main reason she is facing trouble with her family is her sexual orientation, as homosexual relationships are still widely unacceptable in Jordan. Yet, others argued that Layan deserves to be heard and supported regardless of the reason her family is threatening her life.

Additionally, some comments wondered if the video is meant to help the young woman receive asylum in a western country on the basis of domestic violence or sexual identity.