#облечисебе (Dress up) is a campaign, developed by the Bulgarian Safer Internet Center in partnership with teenagers from 6 Sofia schools. It aims to fight the stereotype that people can collect likes and be popular on the Internet only if they upload provocative and revealing pictures.
It has always been important for people to be liked and accepted by others. Nowadays, this is easier than ever, with likes, stickers and hashtags becoming the modern expressions of approval. The desire for wider “approval” pushes youngsters looking for attention to engage in dangerous practices, such as the sharing of sexual images online. Often even the young people, who do not approve of this practice, upload such provocative pictures so that they would be like their peers.
– The risks arising from this trend apply for girls and boys alike:
– They can become targets of cyberbullying by known or unknown users;
– Their reputation could be damaged and they might no longer be accepted among their friends;
– Their pictures might end up on pornographic websites;
– They can be extorted for money or sexual favors;
– They could attract the interest of pedophiles and criminals, who look for victims for sexual abuse and trafficking.
The hashtag #облечисебе (Dress up) is a way to prove that one can be cool, funny and accepted without getting undressed. If you wish to join our campaign, dress up with many layers of clothing, take a selfie and publish it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag.
The National campaign for counteracting contemporary methods of gender-based violence is realized with the financial aid of the Norway Grants Programme 2009-2014.
News and resources:
Official video of the campaign
Public debate “For and against uploading a sexy selfie”
Over 120 students discussed online popularity in the small town of Oryahovo
#облечисебе (Dress up) teamed up with “Walk a mile in her shoes”
#облечисебе (Dress up) was presented at a national youth conference
The Conference “Dos and Don’ts…For a Few Likes More” was held on SID 2016
The educational seminar “For a Few Likes More” took place
