No young woman should ever feel unsafe! That's why my team is organising a Becky's Button outreach programme at Lebanese universities. Becky's Button is a wearable panic alarm which emits an ear-splitting sound. The programme includes:

- receiving a Becky's Button and learning how to use it;

- building awareness of gender-based violence;

- spreading a culture of bystander intervention in communities.

Rebecca Dykes was raped and killed by a Lebanese taxi driver in December, 2017. Based in the British Embassy, 'Becky' served disadvantaged Lebanese people and refugees. To keep her humanitarian spirit alive, Becky's Button has been created and I donate them to vulnerable women. When pressed, the Button surprises attackers, giving wearers a few precious seconds to escape and alert authorities.

To date, with the help of local NGO's, we have distributed 1,000+ Buttons to women aged between 16 and 35 in Mount Lebanon, North Lebanon, Bekaa, Tripoli and Beirut. The feedback so far is that the demand is considerable. Most beneficiaries have reported feeling safer after receiving Becky's Button because it empowers them to alert people nearby when they are threatened. Some of them have also expressed that wearing the Button is better than carrying self-made pepper spray.

Two Rebecca Dykes Chevening Scholars who specialise in gender equality have recently joined this initiative and will work alongside pressure groups in the same field to reach out to 10-15 universities. They will disseminate detailed knowledge about gender-based issues, distribute Buttons and improve our social networking.

I sincerely invite you to support us by making a donation and following our social media. We welcome your ideas and suggestions. Please contact us via info@beckysbutton.org.

Jane Houng, Becky's mother

www.beckysbutton.org

Instagram

Rebecca Dykes 'Becky' (1987-2017)