By Nellie Peyton
DAKAR, Nov 3 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A 21-year-old artist in Ivory Coast has found an eye-catching new way to draw attention to the #MeToo campaign against sexual harassment - by sculpting her hair into the image of a man lifting a woman's skirt.
Laetitia Ky creates elaborate hair sculptures in order to emphasise black women's natural beauty, which is undervalued in the realms of fashion and entertainment, she said.
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When women around the world began sharing experiences of sexual abuse and harassment on social media using the hashtag #MeToo - sparked by allegations against U.S. movie producer Harvey Weinstein - she knew she wanted to take part.
"Like everyone, I saw the wave of women who were speaking out, and this touched me immensely," Ky told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
"I hope women everywhere wake up and revolt."
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Ky posted a picture of her hair art on Facebook and Instagram along with the story of a friend who had narrowly escaped rape. She invited other women to send her messages if they wanted to share their stories.
The testimonies have been pouring in, she said.
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In West Africa, many women have said that sexual assault is rampant but so taboo that you can be shunned or considered unmarriageable for speaking out.
(Reporting By Nellie Peyton; Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, and climate change. Visit www.trust.org)